In late September, around a million Americans were surprised to find that Kaspersky antivirus had been forcibly uninstalled and replaced with a new software called UltraAV without their consent. This move was a direct result of the U.S. government banning all sales of Kaspersky software in the country, effectively marking the end of Kaspersky in America.
Despite the ban, some U.S. users have found ways to continue using Kaspersky antivirus. They have various reasons for sticking with the Russian-made software, such as skepticism about the reasons behind the ban, having already paid for the product, or simply preferring it over competitors.
Certain Reddit users in the U.S. have expressed their loyalty to Kaspersky, citing its reputation as the best antivirus, a lack of evidence supporting the spyware allegations, and long-term usage habits.
To bypass the sales ban, these users either purchased their licenses before the ban or use VPNs to appear as non-U.S. users to Kaspersky’s servers. Avi Fleischer, a long-time Kaspersky user from Brooklyn, NY, also continues to use the software by pointing the update server outside the U.S.
While some users have bought international license keys or use VPNs to extend their usage, others have considered switching to alternative antivirus products like ESET or Bitdefender once their Kaspersky licenses expire.
Despite encountering difficulties with updates, some users are determined to continue using Kaspersky due to their existing long-term licenses. Domingothegamer, for example, expressed disappointment in having to leave Kaspersky prematurely due to the ban.
