Kaspersky gives US customers six months free security software as farewell

Kaspersky is withdrawing from the US market following a ban on the sale of its software, but as a farewell gift, the company is offering free security products and safety tips to its customers.

The Russian firm was added to the US Entity List, which comprises “foreign individuals, companies, and organisations deemed a national security concern.”

The ban on the sale of Kaspersky products comes into effect on 20 July 2024, with subsequent updates to Kaspersky software ceasing from 29 September.

When visiting Kaspersky’s US website, users will now be greeted with a pop-up stating “With Kaspersky leaving the US, we’d like to pay you back with the least we can: gifting you a selection of our security solutions for free for 6 months.”

The company also provides some internet security tips:

• Remember to always back up your data
• Be wary of links and double-check their source before clicking
• Protect your identity online, change passwords regularly, and keep them long and complex 

As Kaspersky updates will no longer be allowed after 29 September, users who choose to accept the 6 months of free security protection will have to manually update their antivirus definitions via the Kaspersky website. 

This does, however, mean that the security of the product may decrease as the software will not update automatically as soon as one is available. (Source: https://www.techradar.com/)