Kaspersky Lab has taken an unexpected stance over its current customers in the US after the Biden Administration banned its software. The Russian-based company is replacing its antivirus software in the US with a somewhat shady alternative – a security product no one in the industry knows anything about.
Kaspersky is handing the computer security of US customers to UltraAV, an “alternative” product with unknown anti-malware capabilities. The company that owns the UltraAV brand, Pango, has a working relationship with Kaspersky, and Pango was recently acquired by another company named Aura.
The main issue with UltraAV is that industry experts have no relevant knowledge about the company or its supposedly effective anti-malware technology. An anonymous source revealed, “We’ve a very close knit community in the AV business, so having a complete unknown is really unusual.”
What We Know About UltraAV
• UltraAV is based on an antivirus engine made by Max Secure Software, an India-based security firm.
• The engine’s driving force is Dr. Zulfikar Ramzan, an Aura employee with a PhD in computer science from MIT.
• UltraAV has deserted trade organizations like the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO).
• No one in the industry has seen UltraAV’s software yet.
What’s Next for US Kaspersky Customers
US Kaspersky customers will now have to choose between sticking with the unknown UltraAV antivirus or replacing it with a different, more proven product. Pango assures consumers that it has scheduled a third-party test for the end of the year.