Russia vs Ukraine: How does this affect Russian products like Kaspersky?

[Guilhermesene]

Hello, everyone in the community,

I am thinking here in my corner (Brazil) about this conflict that is occurring between Ukraine x Russia. The information that is being passed on through the American media and even here in my country is that Russia will suffer several economic sanctions and in several other sectors.

— How can this affect Kaspersky products, after all, it is a product of Russian origin.
— The US and other countries are sanctioning Russian billionaires, wouldn't Eugene Kaspersky be on one of those lists?
— How safe is it to continue using Kaspersky at this time? A few days ago I renewed my Kaspersky subscription for another 2 years and 10 devices (I still have 728 days left).

I know this may sound paranoid, but please understand my context. I am on another continent, far away from the conflict, and perhaps I don't have all the information that most of you have.

Please leave your thoughts on this below.

Thank you

 

[blackice]

This is unprecedented and no one can really know until it unfolds. Many people have strong feelings on the current events, but my heart is with the people caught in the crossfire of an international power struggle. No one deserves that.

 

[MacDefender]

Overall I’ve been pro Kaspersky in the past campaigns to cast doubt on their trustworthiness. I still don’t see any evidence that the product’s protection is compromised by these events, but I think at this point Russia’s actions have given a lot more people reason to think about whether or not they want to be associated with purchasing a product that may result in their money going to Russia.

Yes Kaspersky’s servers are in Switzerland and they have American and other subsidiaries but I am not convinced that the company is totally impervious to Putin having influence, especially during times of war and especially since cyber warfare is a big part of this conflict too.

I think it’s understandable to want to change to a different product on moral grounds. It is similar to not wanting to watch some movie because the actor turned out to be a rapist. But at the same time I don’t think it’s necessary to do on a technical basis. If Kaspersky starts doing unscrupulous things, I’m sure it will be noticed very quickly by the cybersecurity world.

 

[Minimalist]

Yes Kaspersky’s servers are in Switzerland and they have American and other subsidiaries but I am not convinced that the company is totally impervious to Putin having influence, especially during times of war and especially since cyber warfare is a big part of this conflict too.

I agree. ATM I'm not worried about using their software but if conflict escalates and extends to cyber, Kaspersky might get orders to perform actions they usually wouldn't want to do. And AFAIK you can't say "No" if order comes from the top.

 

[Zorro]

The source code of Kaspersky Anti-Virus has already been studied up and down by the NSA, and if there was something (a backdoor), it would have long been known to the whole world in the most colorful details. Therefore, calm down and continue to use the antivirus if you are satisfied with its level of protection.

 

[Guilhermesene]

I agree. ATM I'm not worried about using their software but if conflict escalates and extends to cyber, Kaspersky might get orders to perform actions they usually wouldn't want to do. And AFAIK you can't say "No" if order comes from the top.

This is one of the things that I am afraid of because the cyber conflicts are already happening (at least that is what the news that arrive here in Brazil tells me).

NOTE: not against Kaspersky, on the contrary I like it a lot, I even renewed my license last week for 2 years and 10 devices.

NOTE 2: is just a fear for not knowing what may come.

 

[Zorro]

NOTE 2: is just a fear for not knowing what may come.

Yes, calm down already! Putin is not going to start the Third World War, and Brazil, and nothing threatens you personally. Use the antivirus calmly and do not worry!

 

[ichito]

Yes, calm down already! Putin is not going to start the Third World War, and Brazil, and nothing threatens you personally. Use the antivirus calmly and do not worry!

Brazil? Perhaps yes...you are safe but your words in ME countries would be probably commented "shutup russian troll". Point of view depends on point of sit so your statement is from ground infantile and dangerous. Sorry I was sorely honest.

 

[Guilhermesene]

By the way, are you in my Mozilla Firefox @SFox?

 

[MacDefender]

The source code of Kaspersky Anti-Virus has already been studied up and down by the NSA, and if there was something (a backdoor), it would have long been known to the whole world in the most colorful details. Therefore, calm down and continue to use the antivirus if you are satisfied with its level of protection.

I would say that’s true for now but not really something you can guarantee like that. Every AV program permits frequent background updates and those updates can do basically anything on your system. Even if not directly, they can push a malicious set of disinfecting rules or ask System Watcher to upload more things.

I am not saying they are doing that. I’m just saying this is all possible regardless of what the client side source code says. And this isn’t just antivirus. The same can be said about Windows or MacOS or anything else that gets background updates.

 

[Dixz45]

Kaspersky might be such a guy

 

[MacDefender]

Kaspersky might be such a guy

View attachment 264623

In all seriousness, I think both Eugene and Kaspersky corporate could be making a statement about this to clear the air. Apple has defied and gotten sued by the US government before.

 

[blackice]

This is one of the things that I am afraid of because the cyber conflicts are already happening

I work for a non-military US govt agency. We got a warning about cyberattacks yesterday. The next email I got was an incredibly real looking Microsoft phishing email.

 

[Zorro]

Brazil? Perhaps yes...you are safe but your words in ME countries would be probably commented "shutup russian troll". Point of view depends on point of sit so your statement is from ground infantile and dangerous. Sorry I was sorely honest.

Thank you for your honesty. I'll be honest too. There is an expression - "If a person repeats 1000 times that he is a pig, he will grunt." Now ask yourself the question - How many times has Putin heard from the leaders of Europe and America that he is a tyrant and a murderer? How many times did the Western media "shout" about this? I periodically visit and read the websites of the Western press, in particular, what they write about Putin. In the two decades that Putin has been in power in Russia, I have read almost nothing good about him in the Western press, however, how little good is written about Russia there either. Now everyone is in shock, but no one asked himself the question - Why did Putin do this? I can guess why he did it. And I can say for sure that this is not because he is "just a bloodthirsty tyrant." I will not write here in detail, after all, this is politics, and this forum is not a political platform.

 

[Zorro]

The next email I got was an incredibly real looking Microsoft phishing email.

I would not be surprised if Putin personally sent this letter to you from the Kremlin.

 

[Andrew3000]

Predicting the effects on Russian products is difficult.
I think that only a few people will actually boycott products, most people have no interest in them and do not even know where a particular product comes from.
In any case, boycotting companies that are not under the control of the Russian government is completely counterproductive, it only harms the company itself and employees who certainly are not for and do not want to be involved in the war.

 

[wdc1]

I used and paid for Kasperky antivirus for 20 years, but today I uninstalled it and will never install it again on any of my computers, I won't give my money to russia anymore, I'm using F Secure trial right now, it's not a problem of privacy, I just don't want anything from russia anymore, they deserve the worst.

 

[ichito]

Thank you for your honesty. I'll be honest too. There is an expression - "If a person repeats 1000 times that he is a pig, he will grunt." Now ask yourself the question - How many times has Putin heard from the leaders of Europe and America that he is a tyrant and a murderer? How many times did the Western media "shout" about this? I periodically visit and read the websites of the Western press, in particular, what they write about Putin. In the two decades that Putin has been in power in Russia, I have read almost nothing good about him in the Western press, however, how little good is written about Russia there either. Now everyone is in shock, but no one asked himself the question - Why did Putin do this? I can guess why he did it. And I can say for sure that this is not because he is "just a bloodthirsty tyrant." I will not write here in detail, after all, this is politics, and this forum is not a political platform.

This is real answer for your doubts.

 

[Guilhermesene]

• Russian banks barred from operating in several countries.
• Russian credit cards no longer accepted abroad.
• Russian Airlines banned in some countries
• Manchester United breaks sponsorship. with Aeroflot that had been in place since 2013 and would run until 2025.
• Carlsberg, Coca Cola, and Mondelez stop operating in Ukraine.

Next up: Drop in users using Kaspersky products?

 

[bribon77]

Yes, calm down already! Putin is not going to start the Third World War, and Brazil, and nothing threatens you personally. Use the antivirus calmly and do not worry!

It can be the third one, why not?
We just have to wait, the countries that are part of NATO are ready to give an immediate response.

Rusia amenaza ahora a Finlandia y Suecia si se unen a la OTAN

Rusia avisa a Finlandia y Suecia que su adhesión a la OTAN tendría graves "repercusiones político-militares"

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