Kaspersky Antivirus for Windows (2022)

Can anyone provide a sound technical reason why I should remove Kaspersky Antivirus for Windows (2022) from my PC and replaced it with something else?

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

Can anyone provide a sound technical reason why I should remove Kaspersky Antivirus for Windows (2022) from my PC and replaced it with something else?

Technical? I wouldn’t use any third party security suite on Windows 10, as they ALL replace key files provided by Microsoft using code that less than a 10th of the user community has tested.

In cases in 2018/2019/2020 various different security products ensured that MS security patches could not be installed, thus leaving the user in a LESS SECURE state.

There is the other thread in this forum too.

It has links with Russia and was banned for government use by the US back in 2017. Now governments around the world are telling people to be cautious. I don't know if that is a sound technical reason, but it seems pretty compelling. This same point also appeared in my thread a little earlier today https://forums.thinkbroadband.com/security/f/4708706...

In reply to a post by jchamier:

I wouldn’t use any third party security suite on Windows 10, as they ALL replace key files provided by Microsoft using code that less than a 10th of the user community has tested.

Putting the OP's question to one side I would say the point you are making about replacing files could be argued against lots of software people install, unless you're going to do before and after snapshots of the OS (then a diff of them) for each piece of software you are installing most people wouldn't have a clue whats being changed.

Edited by deleted (Mon 21-Mar-22 21:52:08)

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

Can anyone provide a sound technical reason why I should remove Kaspersky Antivirus for Windows (2022) from my PC and replaced it with something else?

It really doesn't matter if you're looking for a technical or moral reason, the real question is do you trust the Russians?

contrary to that point:-Microsoft has in the past left known security issues unpatched(for years in some cases!)that were first identified by 3rd party venders who then provided workarounds to secure these issues until an "official Microsoft fix" was released

That's true, but you also have to ask "how often?"

There isn't a clear-cut answer to all this, you have to weigh up the risks yourself (as you see them), along with the possible consequences if you get it wrong.

And, as at the moment, other non-technical (or even non-computer related) considerations may come into play.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

Can anyone provide a sound technical reason why I should remove Kaspersky Antivirus for Windows (2022) from my PC and replaced it with something else?

Given events since 24 February, ask yourself how comfortable and trusting you feel with what is relatively sensitive software installed deeply into your machine(s) that is under the control of a Russian owned company. Without wanting to sound alarmist, I don’t think it beyond the realms of possibility that said company could come under the influence or direct control of the Kremlin for let’s just call it nefarious state sponsored purposes.

Then there is the humanitarian consideration of supporting Russian enterprise, albeit indirectly, in what is shaping up to be one the gravest humanitarian travesties in Europe since World War Two.

Perhaps that’s not the “technical” answer you were looking for, but sometimes it’s good to follow your gut and your heart…

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

]
Given events since 24 February, ask yourself how comfortable and trusting you feel with what is relatively sensitive software installed deeply into your machine(s) that is under the control of a Russian owned company. Without wanting to sound alarmist, I don’t think it beyond the realms of possibility that said company could come under the influence or direct control of the Kremlin for let’s just call it nefarious state sponsored purposes.

So who could you trust after the Edward Snowden revelations?

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

So who could you trust after the Edward Snowden revelations?

For me Bill spells it out perfectly

In reply to a post by billford:

you have to weigh up the risks yourself (as you see them), along with the possible consequences if you get it wrong.

Bills advice is why I went with the manufacturer of my operating system for its security. And I do practice secure computing. Mostly 🤣

I like the story about John Mcafee who wrote the first commercial anti-virus software, founding McAfee Associates to sell his creation. He died last year, His death generated speculation and conspiracy theories about the possibility that he was murdered. His wife, Janice McAfee, said she did not believe McAfee committed suicide, and that the suicide note was a forgery. More here

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

I like the story about John Mcafee who wrote the first commercial anti-virus software, founding McAfee Associates to sell his creation.

Was it him, or Peter Norton? They must have been about the same time.

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

Can anyone provide a sound technical reason why I should remove Kaspersky Antivirus for Windows (2022) from my PC and replaced it with something else?

Just noticed this…

FCC says Russia’s Kaspersky Lab is a national security threat

I posted about this last year and again more recently after seeing this in Techcrunch.

Maybe Mr Kaspersky with his background in Russian cybersecurity can be trusted as much as that nice Mr. Putin? I don't think so. As I said before, those Len Deighton novels aren't so fanciful now. If Russia wanted to cause cyberchaos how better than crashing or even plundering the accounts of millions of people to which they already have full access?

Quite unrelated, but after removing KIS after many years my family notice that our computers boot and surf noticeably faster using MS Defender.

Edited by Malwaremike (Mon 28-Mar-22 14:30:07)

Interested to know if anyone has removed KIS recently and what method they use to remove it.
Also would like to know how to confirm all traces have been removed and the is "nothing left behind"

Clean windows reinstall.

Plenty of advice by Googling, but all the ones I found rely on one or more tools from Kaspersky... if you don't entirely trust them in the first place then Pheasant's suggestion is the way to go.

eta- It has a reputation for being difficult to get rid of completely, but I've never used it myself so can't confirm that.

Edited by billford (Tue 29-Mar-22 10:21:00)

We have five PCs on W10 and used the normal 'remove program' app under System. Uninstall went smoothly and we declined offer to retain licence data etc. It's necessary to restart afterwards. We did wonder, too, so just in case I tried Malwarebytes and AdAware scans which found nothing ...

Many thanks to everyone who replied

Yesterday from NCSC.

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/use-of-russian-tec...