Just months after cybersecurity giant Kaspersky closed its US store, the company has announced that its UK office will also close, laying off dozens of employees.
In a statement, Kaspersky confirmed that it will “refocus” its operations on its partner channel in the United Kingdom. It added that it has “(fewer) than 50 employees” in its London office, and that it will begin a “wind-down” of its operations.
In June 2024, the company was banned from selling its products in the US after it was accused of having ties to the Russian government – something it has always denied – and insisted it remains independent of any outside influence.
Stay efficient
Kaspersky’s statement confirmed that operations in Britain will continue through partner channels, but that the Kaspersky office itself will close.
“This move will enable our company to exploit the available business opportunities in the UK market in a more efficient manner, strengthening overall business prosperity,” said spokesperson Francesco Tius.
“Our customers and partners in the UK will continue to have full access to the company’s European team and its strong and established partner network, through which we will continue to distribute Kaspersky’s industry-leading cybersecurity products and services,”
After the company was forced to close in the US, some Kaspersky customers were alarmed to find their antivirus program being forcibly removed and replaced with the new UltraAV software. The update was pushed without giving customers the option to accept or decline, which drew some criticism for the security company.
However, Kaspersky insists that email notifications in the weeks leading up to the update gave customers sufficient notice and that the transition will allow users to maintain access to their VPNs, identity theft protection, and password managers.
Via TechCrunch