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At the end of September , Kaspersky forcibly uninstalled and replaced itselfwith a new antivirus called UltraAV on the computers of around a million Americans , many of whom weresurprised and aghastthat they were not enquire to give their consent for the variety . The move was the end outcome ofthe U.S. government ban on all sales of Kaspersky softwarein the state and — at least in theory — brand the end of Kaspersky in America .
But not everyone in the U.S. has given up on the Russian - made antivirus . Some Americans have found ways to get around the ban and are still using Kaspersky ’s antivirus , TechCrunch has larn .
Several people who live in the U.S. order in office on Reddit that they are holding out as Kaspersky customers . When TechCrunch expect them about their motivations , their grounds range from being skeptical of the reasons behind the ban , or having paid for the intersection already , to simply preferring the product over its rival .
“ It ’s well - know to be the best [ antivirus ] in the humans and has a long trail record book . There ’s 0 actual evidence of it being ‘ spyware ’ and I ca n’t just blindly believe something that has no evidence supporting it , ” a U.S.-based Reddit user who goes by Blippyz tell TechCrunch in a lineal message .
Another Reddit exploiter , nicknamed YouKnowWho_13 , who continues to use Kaspersky antivirus from New York , said they are not worried about the allegations that Kaspersky has abused its access to some Americans ’ computers to siphon off sensible data back to the Russian government .
“ Hey I ’m just a bank clerk … , ” they severalise TechCrunch , implying that they are not an interesting target area for cyber spy and adding that the banning on Kaspersky sale was “ a bit too coarse ” and unnecessary . “ [ I ] used it for 10 geezerhood . Force of habit haha . It ’s a nice product . ”
The fashion these users are get around the sales ban is dual . First , they purchased their license or key prior to the ban , meaningthey have n’t violated the sale ban and sanctionsby direct money to the Moscow - based cybersecurity company . secondly , they use a VPN or have manually added a non - U.S. server to the list of update server , which intend that in the eyes of Kaspersky , they effectively are not U.S. users .
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Kaspersky did not answer to TechCrunch ’s postulation for scuttlebutt .
Avi Fleischer , a long - sentence Kaspersky user who lives in Brooklyn , New York , told TechCrunch that he is also still using the software on his home computer . Fleischer explained that once the ban came into full effect , the “ Kaspersky Security web ” — a service“designed to receive and sue complex global cyberthreat data ” — became unavailable , but he was able to still get update for virus definitions by betoken the update server to one outside the United States .
“ And now it ’s able-bodied to update the virus definition mechanically , ” Fleischer say , bring that he is not using a VPN .
YouKnowWho_13 said they bribe an international license key off of eBay . Like others , they allege they added an update waiter that ’s out of doors of the United States in the Kaspersky app to uphold receiving security updates .
Once their license key expires , YouKnowWho_13 said they will switch to antivirus challenger ESET or Bitdefender .
Another Reddit exploiter , Das1996 , evidence TechCrunch that they are using a VPN to get updates and have a licence headstone that decease in around three or four months . Once that bump , they said , they will make up one’s mind what to do . But “ if the VPN option make well , I ’ll continue to use ’em , ” said Das1996 .
Domingothegamer , a Reddit userwho sought assistant on the websitewhen they could n’t update their Kaspersky software , enunciate that they still have a three - year license , with two years left , for 10 equipment . For them , give Kaspersky “ feels like a big thriftlessness just because of the ban . ”
They allege they do n’t even involve to use a VPN , and that apart from adding new servers to get the updates , “ it ’s just a service like usual . ”
