Kaspersky is pulling out of the US market after a ban on sales of its software, but as a parting gift the company is offering its customers free security products and safety tips.
The Russian company was added to the US Entity List, which consists of “foreign persons, companies and organizations deemed to pose a national security risk.”
The ban on the sale of Kaspersky products will take effect on July 20, 2024. From September 29, no more updates will be released for Kaspersky software.
Kaspersky leaves US
When visiting Kaspersky’s US website, users are now greeted with a pop-up that reads: “Now that Kaspersky is leaving the US, we want to refund you as little as possible: by offering you a selection of our security solutions for 6 months free of charge.”
The company also offers some internet security tips:
- don’t forget to always backup your data
- be careful with links and check their source before clicking on them
- Protect your identity online, change your passwords regularly and make sure they are long and complex
Since Kaspersky updates will no longer be allowed after September 29, users who accept the 6 months of free protection will have to manually update their antivirus definitions via the Kaspersky website.
However, this does mean that the security of the product may decrease, because the software is not automatically updated when an update is available.
Kaspersky users looking for a new security provider can check out our guide to the best antivirus programs or our overview of the best firewalls.