Kaspersky subscribers have known that they’re on borrowed time—the ban on the Russia-based company’s antivirus software takes full effect on September 29. But some paid users still got a surprise late last week. With days yet to go, Kaspersky quietly began deleting its software from devices and replacing it with UltraAV, a rival app.
Predictably, the silent swap has caused momentary panic and confusion among Kaspersky users, who initially believed themselves to be the victims of a malware attack. Though the transition to UltraAV was announced previously via email, the message did not inform users about this method of replacement, which was pushed as a software update starting on September 19. The concerns were compounded when attempts to uninstall UltraAV were not successful.
Kaspersky later made an official statement on its forums, confirming the automatic deletion of its app and install of UltraAV. The post also points to UltraAV’s transition information webpage for additional details.
You can read more details about the kerfuffle in BleepingComputer’s report, which notes that the switch appears to extend to the installation of UltraVPN on some PCs—presumably related to having a KasperskyVPN subscription.
Otherwise, if you’re still using Kaspersky antivirus software, you don’t have to wait for Kaspersky to do its sleight of hand. (That’s especially so if UltraAV’s lower prominence among antivirus software suites doesn’t cut it with you.) You can instead uninstall the software now and install your own alternative—we have a list of several replacement apps for Kaspersky you can try.