Kaspersky subscribers were already preparing for the impending September 29 ban on the Russia-based antivirus software, but many received an unexpected surprise last week. With just days to go, Kaspersky began silently removing its software from devices and replacing it with UltraAV, a competing antivirus program, causing confusion and concern among users.
Although Kaspersky had previously announced the switch via email, they didn’t mention the method of replacement, which was initiated as a software update starting on September 19. This abrupt change led many users to believe they were experiencing a malware attack, further compounded by failed attempts to uninstall UltraAV. Kaspersky later confirmed the switch on its forums and directed users to UltraAV’s information page for more details.
According to a report from BleepingComputer, some users also saw UltraVPN installed on their PCs, likely due to an existing KasperskyVPN subscription. If you’re still using Kaspersky, now might be the time to make your own switch to a more established antivirus solution—there are several viable alternatives to consider.
