The official Android app for Kaspersky antivirus has been removed from the Google Play store in a recent setback for the company.
BleepingComputer reports that this happened over the weekend, with Kaspersky’s developer accounts also being disabled and taken down after a recent ban by the U.S. government.
Kaspersky Android app was officially removed from Google
Playstore
Speaking about the same, a Google spokesperson revealed:
“The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security recently announced a variety of restrictions on Kaspersky. As a result, we have removed Kaspersky’s apps from Google Play.”
In a post on its official forums, Kaspersky confirmed it was aware of the issue and was investigating why its software was no longer available on Google’s app store.
“The downloads and updates of Kaspersky products are temporarily unavailable on the Google Play store,” a Kaspersky employee posted.
“Kaspersky is currently investigating the circumstances behind the issue and exploring potential solutions to ensure that users of its products can continue downloading and updating their applications from Google Play.”
How to Continue Using Kaspersky Apps on Android Devices
The company added that users could still download its apps from alternative app stores like Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, and Xiaomi GetApps, or install the apps by downloading the .apk file from Kaspersky’s website.
This is the latest problem for the security company, which has faced growing issues recently due to U.S. sanctions over national security concerns. The U.S. has long claimed that Kaspersky software could be manipulated by the Russian government to steal secrets and control computers, leading to a full ban on the sale of its products in early 2024.
Kaspersky was added to the U.S. Entity List, a list of “foreign individuals, companies, and organizations deemed a national security concern,” with a ban on the sale of Kaspersky products starting July 20, 2024.
Subsequent updates to Kaspersky software stopped on September 29, but the company offered free security products and safety tips to its customers for six months.
In September, the Russian cybersecurity company removed its anti-malware software from customers’ computers in the United States and replaced it with UltraAV’s antivirus solution, without informing its customers or seeking their permission.
“Kaspersky has recently been informed by the Google Play store that its developer account has been terminated, and its product apps removed from the platform,” a company spokesperson told TechRadar Pro in a statement.
“Google’s decision refers to recent U.S. government actions, restricting the distribution and sales of Kaspersky products in the United States after September 29. Although these restrictions have no material legal effect outside the U.S., Google unilaterally decided to remove our products from Google Play ahead of September 29, depriving worldwide users of access to Kaspersky solutions.”
“We believe Google’s decision is based on an overinterpretation of the U.S. restrictions, which was not backed by a confirmation from the U.S. Department of Commerce. These restrictive measures do not prohibit the sale or distribution of Kaspersky products and services outside the country. Kaspersky has also communicated this understanding to the U.S. Department of Commerce, and we hope to receive additional guidance from the Department shortly.”
The U.S. Department of Commerce did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Kaspersky added that its app will continue to function and receive security updates if installed through Google Play, but the level of protection “may be limited.”
“Kaspersky remains committed to protecting the world from cyberthreats, and users can still continue to download Kaspersky products from other mobile stores, including Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, Xiaomi GetApps or directly from the Kaspersky website: https://www.kaspersky.com/small-to-medium-business-security/downloads/endpoint.”
“Please see the details for Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Android installation at the link How to install and update Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Android.”
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