Unsafe Internet Security with Kaspersky Antivirus?

TTSguy

I noted today that Leo (Askleo.com) personally advised that if Kaspersky Is being used for your Internet security, that perhaps you should uninstall it and use something else

Seems it is legally a Russian firm, and no one really knows how secure it is, or will continue to be. Everyone wants to stay as secure as possible.

Chris_QPW

It isn't just "Leo", the FCC has issued the same warning.  Actually, it isn't just a warning, they have banned them.  And I wouldn't put "legally" in front of "a Russian firm".  It definitely a Russian firm.  The only question has always been whether you believe their claims or not that they don't work for/cave to Russian government or bad hackers.

TTSguy

@Chris_QPW thanks for the additional clarification. I think this is good information for everyone using Kaspersky, or other software companies on the list (do you know how to find that list)? It's too bad as I know Kaspersky was always rated pretty high, I guess the question now becomes for who, and why?

Chris_QPW

Well, here is one article on it:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/kaspersky-antivirus-software-used-by-millions-dubbed-a-national-security-threat-by-fcc/ar-AAVFHRT

And here is their response:
https://www.kaspersky.com/about/press-releases/2022_kaspersky-statement-on-the-fcc-public-notice

I will note that it is an international company, and as such, you have to decide what you believe its ties are or aren't.

The biggest problem I see with all of this is that there is no way to confirm or deny anything (for the average user).

Chris_QPW

P.S. Looking at their "About" page they say they reside in the UK.  So, my statement "might not be accurate" about them being a Russian company.

As in, if your Ford is made in Mexico, is it an "American car", just because the company that built it has their main office in the US?

These days trying to decide if a company is from this country or that country is really hard to do.  Especially when you consider the fact that company will report their headquarters wherever it makes more sense tax wise or such.

NotACPA

I think that I'd trust the FCC before I'd trust Kaspersky, which I've never used anyway.

Chris_QPW

Here is some more information, and now it makes more sense of what I have heard:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspersky_Lab

The company is based in Moscow, the "holding company" is in the UK.
Note that the article also states that it has move its core infrastructure for foreign customers to Switzerland.

TTSguy

There is information leading back directly to Russia according to the documents that were noted on the Askleo.com site. Here is what it says: Only via the Internet Archive snapshots of the primary contact page can we see that Kaspersky is headquartered in Moscow.