Kaspersky defends force-replacing its security software without users’ explicit consent

Following the U.S. government’s ban on Kaspersky sales (effective July 20) and upcoming updates cutoff (Sept. 29), Kaspersky automatically uninstalled itself and installed Pango’s UltraAV for many U.S. Windows customers to avoid protection gaps, while Mac/Android/iOS users were directed to manual setup. The move, communicated via email and in-app messages for some, sparked user concerns over consent and trust—especially given UltraAV’s newness—while Pango and Kaspersky defended the transition; security experts, including former NSA’s Rob Joyce, underscored the risks of granting such software deep system trust.