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Kaspersky Lab Files Complaint Against Microsoft for Giving Unfair Advantage To Windows Defender (myce.com)

Russian antivirus vendor Kaspersky Lab has asked antitrust regulators in various countries (including the European Union and Russia) to make Microsoft stop giving an unfair advantage to Windows Defender, Eugene Kasperky wrote in a blog post. From a report on Myce: Microsoft is making it hard for independent anti-virus vendors to compete with Windows Defender, Microsoft's own antivirus application built-in to Windows 8 and Windows 10, according to founder of Kaspersky Lab, Eugene Kaspersky. For example, when users upgraded to Windows 10, their own antivirus product was disabled and Windows Defender was enabled by default. Another showcase of Microsoft's way of making it harder to compete is that antivirus companies only received a week to make their antivirus software compatible with Windows 10. And even when the antivirus software was compatible, Windows Defender would be enabled nevertheless.You can read Eugene's blog post here.

100 comments

  1. That Will Be The Day by crunchy_one · · Score: 5, Funny

    Microsoft is making it hard for independent virus vendors

    1. Re:That Will Be The Day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Considering Kaspersky probably employs a lot of the same people who make those viruses, that day is today. But, funny joke regardless.

    2. Re:That Will Be The Day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yup, what a choice, virus protection from the Russians or from Microsoft.

    3. Re: That Will Be The Day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Considering demand bribe to whitelist software, begone Kasperski.

    4. Re:That Will Be The Day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Microsoft is trying hard to become number one in spyware creation business. But they can not get into total monopoly, as when people disable Windows updates to prevent forced installation of MS's spyware, they will eventually get 3rd party spyware infection.

    5. Re: That Will Be The Day by ArmoredDragon · · Score: 2

      While I have no sympathy for antivirus vendors, windows 10 does have a problem with replacing default applications on every major patch, and it's annoying as hell.

      Literally every major patch, the stupid store and edge icons get placed on my taskbar, stupid edge is set to the default browser and default pdf viewer, and a ton of really annoying settings (like telemetry, peer to peer updates) are turned back to their defaults.

      Personally, I'd love to see the antivirus industry succeed on this lawsuit, and things would only improve because I simply don't buy antivirus software.

  2. Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by BitZtream · · Score: 0

    Every deal Kaspersky made to get their software pre-installed on a laptop was an unfair bundling that prevented my no-name, no-one-ever-heard-of-it AV package from getting a sell. Kaspersky owes me a lot of money cause.

    Seriously, stop your whining, your software is shit and WinDefender is actually better even though its purpose is slightly different.

    Perhaps if you'd do a better deal, it wouldn't have been cheaper for Microsoft to start from scratch than to work with you or some other AV manufacture. Kaspersky had an established working product and MS didn't buy it, they started from scratch and made their own. Certainly not cheaper than buying a properly built product/business unless the business made ridiculous demands.

    Microsoft is a shitty - embrace, extend, extinguish company, but pretty much all AV and AM software is crap and doesn't deserve to exist, bundling with windows isn't killing their business, a shitty product is killing their business.

    --
    Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
    1. Re:Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's bitztream, the autism-hating, custom EpiPen-hating Slashdot troll

    2. Re:Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by crunchy_one · · Score: 1

      Better be nice, I hear BitZtream is on the short list for secretary of commerce.

    3. Re:Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's biztream, the moronic autism-hating, custom EpiPen-hating Slashdot troll!

    4. Re:Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You'd don't have autism,

      Correct (p.s. "You", not "You'd" )

      I didn't offend you

      Wrong

      you're just stupid

      Wrong

      Oh and I fully admitted to being a troll before (my, how quickly you forget and short attention span you have), which I also pointed out that at least I was able to admit to, unlike you.

    5. Re:Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by elbiatcho1 · · Score: 1

      Perhaps if you'd do a better deal, it wouldn't have been cheaper for Microsoft to start from scratch than to work with you or some other AV manufacture.

      I thought MS bought Giant Antispyware and didn't start from scratch?

    6. Re: Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are tests, believable test, reliable, that states that Windows defender is shit. Buy an Anti-Virus, use a free one, don't use defender. Is crap

    7. Re: Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If u think windef is as good as kaspersky, u r a moron
      If u r just a shill who gets free jackets to post, disregard. Reply and get another shitty jacket in trade for...ummm...you soul.

    8. Re:Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by Baloo+Uriza · · Score: 1

      Perhaps if you'd do a better deal, it wouldn't have been cheaper for Microsoft to start from scratch than to work with you or some other AV manufacture.

      The funny thing is if security in Windows wasn't designed to be shit from the start, Kaspersky wouldn't even have a market segment.

      --
      Furries make the internet go.
    9. Re:Kaspersky unfair bundling advantage by OffTheWallSoccer · · Score: 1

      I came here to see the asshat trolls in action. Thank you for not disappointing me.

  3. Product not pass test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Likely, Kaspersky didn't go through the efforts of working with Microsoft to ensure that their product would be on the list of verified applications for day-0 rollout. The last thing MS wanted was their OS rollouts to fail because of 3rd party didn't care to get their crap together and play ball. So, it got disabled and the built-in was used.

    Same with drivers. If it didn't pass the check, then the MS or the one they included with that build, was used. OMG Linux does the same thing.

    1. Re:Product not pass test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i used win xp and opera 12, Russian and other antivirus I don't need
      adblock sufficient for me,to home PC
      I'm reading from Russia)

    2. Re:Product not pass test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Linux does NOT do the same thing.

      Drivers do not have to be distributed with the kernel... That choice is up to the developer. It IS preferable though.

      But if the developers of the driver want it included as part of the kernel distribution, then they have to make it easy for the kernel developers to provide the support.

      And that calls for it being validated to style, understandability, and maintainability...

  4. So by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    If Microsoft made an OS that was functionally immune to viruses would it still be unfair?

    1. Re:So by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Impossible to create an OS which is immune to viruses. Maybe a hardwired OS into the firmware or BIOS would do, but you need a reboot to clear the malwares and stacks which was smashed for exploits.

    2. Re:So by ubrgeek · · Score: 1

      *Whoosh*

      --
      Bark less. Wag more.
    3. Re:So by JThaddeus · · Score: 1

      Amen! So a OS maker is not supposed to take steps to secure their OS? Nonsense, Kaspersky.

      --
      "Love is a familiar; Love is a devil: there is no evil angel but Love." --William Shakespeare ('Love's Labors Lost')
    4. Re:So by Githaron · · Score: 2

      I think it more of a matter on how they are securing their OS. They are actively making it difficult to use third party anti-virus software.

    5. Re:So by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think it more of a matter on how they are securing their OS. They are actively making it difficult to use third party anti-virus software.

      Yes. Which dramatically increases the security and performance of any OS. Third-party anti-virus software is shit.

    6. Re:So by chuckugly · · Score: 1

      Actually now that defender is on by default, installing 3rd party AV can, in some cases, make the PC faster.

    7. Re:So by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's actually an interesting point. Rather than fix the bugs and exploits they put into their own OS, they'd rather spend more time on bandage solutions (Antivirus) rather than try to make sure the OS has no exploit for a virus to make use of.

      That being said, yes I know the bandage is far easier to make. I'm also not exactly against Microsoft having a built in anti-virus in and of itself. I DO have problems with them deactivating legit competing products, and I'd definitely have problems if their antivirus suddenly started seeing a lot of "false positives" with any competing product (egads, that Libre Office is infected, it must go! *shows ads for MS Office*)

      I could also see Microsoft stepping up the scope for the antivirus in the future - turning it into a DRM platform.

  5. Pretty Lame by Major+Blud · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "antivirus companies only received a week to make their antivirus software compatible with Windows 10."

    This sounds like a gross over-simplification. The article itself says that Defender was included with Windows 8, which internally isn't all that different from Windows 10. Getting their software approved for the Windows Store in a short time frame sounds more likely.

    --
    If you post as Anonymous Coward, don't expect a reply.
    1. Re:Pretty Lame by frank_adrian314159 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If you keep in touch with the early developer releases Microsoft puts out (which most AV companies do), you'll have months to develop your product to work with the OS. The only people who had "10 days to make their software work with Windows 10" weren't paying attention earlier.

      --
      That is all.
    2. Re:Pretty Lame by Major+Blud · · Score: 1

      Exactly. Wasn't there a public beta of Windows 10?

      --
      If you post as Anonymous Coward, don't expect a reply.
    3. Re:Pretty Lame by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      There is one continuously. It's called the Insider program. You can sign up right now and get a current build for nothing, you don't even need a valid windows license to start.

      Saying anyone had 10 days is just outright stupid on the face of it. It's shit like that actually weakens their case a lot as well. When you get to a review and half the stuff in it is demonstrably false, do you bother putting much effort into the things which aren't so easily demonstrated?

    4. Re:Pretty Lame by Windowser · · Score: 2, Informative

      Windows 10 is a perpetual public beta

      --
      Avoid the MS tax, always buy I.B.M. PC's (I Built-it Myself)
    5. Re:Pretty Lame by gmack · · Score: 1

      The article itself says that Defender was included with Windows 8, which internally isn't all that different from Windows 10. Getting their software approved for the Windows Store in a short time frame sounds more likely.

      You would think so but you would be wrong. The place I work uses Kaspersky and I can tell you that it Worked on 8 and failed to install on 10 and that was not the only software we had trouble with.

      All of our software works on Windows 7, some works on Windows 8, some works on only certain Windows 8 installs(we can't find the pattern), and some fails on Windows 10 even though it worked on Windows 8

    6. Re:Pretty Lame by chuckugly · · Score: 1

      There are a series of interactions with the Windows Security Center and other subsystems that are subject to frequent and last-minute change by Microsoft. This is likely what they are legitimately butt-hurt about.

  6. It wouldn't be such a big deal... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It wouldn't be such a big deal if it actually did its job well.

  7. Missing the point a bit by supremebob · · Score: 4, Informative

    The reason that Windows 10 disables older Anti-Virus software when upgrading is that the older Anti-Virus software is incompatible with 10 and can cause the system to crash if you continue to use it. Rather than give the user no anti-virus protection at all, they enable Defender and notify the user with a system tray pop-up that their old Anti-Virus software needs to be upgraded before it will work.

    There really isn't anything sinister going on here.

    1. Re:Missing the point a bit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      AntiVirus applications are notoriously low level and dependent upon the operating system version they are trying to protect. Conversely, standard Windows applications use only public APIs which are typically backward compatible with new releases of Windows.

      As the original poster states... nothing sinister here.

    2. Re:Missing the point a bit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'll give you the point on that dodge, but here's the place you fail...

      Opt-in vs opt-out is the issue because the default choice is vastly weighted by the way society functions to win.

      By making it opt-out, people who are lazy will never do it. (default wins)
      People who setup the machine once and left it unattended will not notice. (default wins)
      Those who manage others computers may not have expected it to someday perform a full OS upgrade unattended (thus disabling av and default wins again)
      Some people are afraid to touch anything and thus will do nothing (default wins again)
      Those who wish to do something but aren't administrators and cannot upgrade/remove software are stuck waiting (default wins)

      Where as if we flip the default behavior to opt-in, then all the above points switch to favoring the small AV vendor. I.E. it remains as it was setup until someone intervenes.

      Kind of like if I somehow created a request at your bank to transfer $5 to my account every day for a month straight, but the catch is you can only cancel the request one day before. Eventually you'd just be busy and forget to cancel and I'd have all kinds of cash from you. Thus you can assume there is actual value to requiring such attention since people live lives and are just sometimes busy doing their own thing.

      It's truly nefarious through that lens.

  8. Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus makers by wierd_w · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It has come to my attention that you feel the bundling of Microsoft's defender product is bad for your business.

    While I agree that bundling is a nefarious action, I also would like to point out the serious inferiority of your (ahem) "similarly priced" (ahem) products, when compared to the bundled product.

    Even if the defender product was not bundled with windows, I find it very likely that users would prefer it over your advertisment laden, system resource hogging, nagscreen insistent offering of similar price. In comparison, windows defender consumes significantly fewer resources, wastes far fewer manhours of development on elaborate eye candy on an app that users would prefer did not have to be there in the first place, but simply need because of fuckwits who want to abuse the shit out of their computers when they arent looking-- and quite frankly, does not constantly demand money out of them every 6 months.

    Perhaps if you offered a superior product, people would rush to install it?

    Just a thought.

  9. I have a better idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Let's ban Kaspersky labs from Europe and the USA since it supports an ACTUAL FASCIST GOVERNMENT of vladimir putin.

  10. end of an era? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Antivirus software has been mostly associated with Windows. The reason is that Windows has been, in the past, developed with little security in mind.
    Now let's assume that Microsoft got their shit together and actually built Windows 10 with proper user/permission handling. We wouldn't need anti-virus in at all, right?
    In fact, more and more studies have shown that anti-virus software itself creates more vulnerabilities than it fixes.
    https://www.wired.com/2016/06/symantecs-woes-expose-antivirus-software-security-gaps/
    So let's all take a step back, let Windows Defender prove itself and just MAYBE we can finally forget this horrible "anti-virus" industry ever existed

  11. Everything old is new again... by Cornwallis · · Score: 2

    Anybody else remember about 25 years ago when MS got slapped down for including an A/V component with DOS 6?

    1. Re:Everything old is new again... by wierd_w · · Score: 1

      msav, the worst av ever, even worse than mcaffee?

      yeah, i remember. fprot was way better.

  12. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Unlike the forced "advertisment laden, system resource hogging, nagscreen insistent offering" of a very expensive and insecure product?

  13. Why would anyone pay for antivirus programs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Plenty of free ones available that work ok, not just defender.

    It's not as if the paid versions are going to protect any better.

  14. Re: Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus make by Lije+Baley · · Score: 2

    Exactly. Antivirus software treads so close to "cure is worse than the disease" territory, and they need to face up to it.

    --
    Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
  15. Reinstall? by Ash-Fox · · Score: 2

    Why not just make Kaspersky automatically reinstall on a windows upgrade? It's not like windows startup entries are removed in an upgrade.

    --
    Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
    1. Re:Reinstall? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      better yet, why not have KAV detect windows 10 for what it is... the largest, most distributed piece of spyware and malware ever produced.

      virus: yup. it self replicated and self executed. it also infected mbr and boot sectors of target computers.

      trojan: yup. it disguised itself as something desirable when in fact was total malicious shit.

      spyware: yup. it collects and transmits crazy ridiculous amounts of user data, obfuscates the fact that it does that, and makes it difficult-to-impossible to prevent.

  16. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by Jahta · · Score: 1

    Even if the defender product was not bundled with windows, I find it very likely that users would prefer it over your advertisment laden, system resource hogging, nagscreen insistent offering of similar price. In comparison, windows defender consumes significantly fewer resources, wastes far fewer manhours of development on elaborate eye candy on an app that users would prefer did not have to be there in the first place, but simply need because of fuckwits who want to abuse the shit out of their computers when they arent looking-- and quite frankly, does not constantly demand money out of them every 6 months.

    Great point. A couple of years ago I switched from third party anti-virus products on my (sole remaining) Windows 7 machine and on the Windows machines of family and friends I provide tech support to for exactly those reasons. Windows Defender does the job well and does it unobtrusively.

  17. ORLY by variable26 · · Score: 0

    So, is this kind of like Apple not requiring virus protection software? Where is that story about Kaspersky faking malware to harm rivals?

  18. Oh cry me a river... by Eloking · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Dear AV makers,

    May I bring to your attention that your "business" depend of the "flaws" of another product? This basically mean that you're trying to sue MS for fixing their OS.

    Be grateful your business lasted as long as it did.

    --
    Elok
    1. Re:Oh cry me a river... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's flaws, not "flaws". And outright disabling a competitor is not "fixing the flaws". It's "fixing the competition". Something companies around the world should have learned long ago is what Microsoft does best.

      In the long run, it would probably be better if all the efforts various companies pour into keeping Windows afloat was diverted to supporting an alternative platform, and let Microsoft swim or sink on their own accord. Stop writing anti-virus and other crap for Windows, get people going with their migration and help them fill the gaps. Maybe we'd be able to restore trust in our computers at last that way instead of heading in the direction of ever increasing abuse of the user.

    2. Re:Oh cry me a river... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In the long run, it would probably be better if all the efforts various companies pour into keeping Windows afloat was diverted to supporting an alternative platform, and let Microsoft swim or sink on their own accord. Stop writing anti-virus and other crap for Windows, get people going with their migration and help them fill the gaps. Maybe we'd be able to restore trust in our computers at last that way instead of heading in the direction of ever increasing abuse of the user.

      Nice idea, but fixing Microsoft's flaws is where the money is. As usual, doing the "right" thing gets you little to nothing.

    3. Re:Oh cry me a river... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Again, short term gains stands in the way of the betterment of society. I didn't mean it that it was realistic to expect, only to point out that these people are representing a huge lost opportunity, they could make lots of money by doing something more productive than propping up Windows. They are certainly not stupid.

  19. They have no right to demand that by earnil · · Score: 0

    These attempts to use government oversight to push your own business is cancer. Shame on you Kaspersky. Grow up and make better more demanded product. So what's up next? Is someone going to complain that cars are made with built-in windows and therefore it damages the window makers? Or that you can buy your house with completed roof so the other construction companies are going to lose business? And what about consumers? Yeah, you're being ripped off because instead of having to buy it form third party, you're getting it for free? Sometimes I think this world doesn't make any sense at all.

    1. Re:They have no right to demand that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's because you've got no idea whatsoever about anti-competitive behaviour and why it's a bad thing which destroys free market capitalism, and how it's only a problem if one company (or two of three colluding) dominates an entire market. This does *not* apply to cars. It *does* apply to desktop/laptop PC operating systems. That's why car companies can legally do stuff that MS can't.

    2. Re: They have no right to demand that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Sometimes I think this world doesn't make any sense at all."

      I can see where that might be a problem for you. Perhaps you should Google "monopoly". No, no, not the game, the business concept. Write down the big words that you don't understand and then post back. We'll walk you through it.

      Go ahead, sound it out. You can do it: anti com pet it ive

      Good boy!

  20. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For us McAfee is the Virus.

  21. Fixing defects is a bad busines model by sjbe · · Score: 0

    When you make your money based on correcting a defect in a product you shouldn't be surprised when the company making the defect gives away a solution. The only real surprise is that it's taken Microsoft so long to acknowledge the malware problem with a product.

    It's like the people who built businesses on refilling overpriced ink cartridges for inkjets. Sure they might make some money but it's a flimsy business model. They could be put out of business tomorrow by companies like HP simply dropping the price of their ink. It's an artificial problem and businesses built around artificial problems are easily crushed.

  22. Meanwhile from a customer perspective by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From a customer perspective, windows defender has been a blessing.

    Giving 2 decades of virus tools that mostly seem to exist to nag you, rip your money, open extra security holes, slow you system to a halt or just crash it, lock files for read or write access, advertise other products, block installs of valid and mainstream software, causes compatibility issues and nag you more, leading to a situation where the only viable alternative for a (not even) power-user would be running the open-source clamav on-demand scan.

    Windows defender was there, and i never looked back. I just made sure it was installed on all friends&family-owned windows PC's. It reduced calls for help by a number close to 100%. Where possible, i suggested to run Linux or a chromebook. The only issue with windows defender is that it is -yet- another monoculture, but so far it done its job just fine.

    And now Kaspersky labs, the guys that couldn't even bother to make an affordable deal, or offer a free version, who crippled their online scan and live cd's over the years, the guys that are charging a premium subscription for a home user costing way more than the OS license itself, are what? They are/were respectable as virus-hunters. Yet, apparently they failed to make a business model that attract enough users simply by only offering overpriced stuff and crippling their products. Make me an offer i can't resist - like a high performance scanner charging no more than $5 / year payable by any payment method i see fit, and we talk again. Until that day, look in the mirror when complaining.

    1. Re:Meanwhile from a customer perspective by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Contrary to the browser wars, Windows Defender is a Good Thing. Most of the commercial virus packages are bloated monstrosities. Defender is welcome as long as the Brave New Microsoft doesn't use this feature to start blocking things that Microsoft considers harmful for, um, Microsoft.

    2. Re:Meanwhile from a customer perspective by Solandri · · Score: 1

      And now Kaspersky labs, the guys that couldn't even bother to make an affordable deal, or offer a free version, who crippled their online scan and live cd's over the years, the guys that are charging a premium subscription for a home user costing way more than the OS license itself, are what?

      You can pretty consistently get the retail version of Kaspersky for free after rebate every year. You just have to bide your time and keep an eye out for the deals. A couple years back they had a no-limit rebate though, so some people bought a bunch of them and just break open a new box every year and put in a new license key to renew.

      If you earn enough money, the time it takes to monitor these deals isn't worth the $30-$50 you'll save, so you just end up paying the annual subscription. That's what they're counting on - you buy it for free, but end up paying the renewal every year.. But you can go to a deals site and set up an alert which emails you every time there's a Kaspersky deal, and it won't cost you any time (aside from reading the alert emails). Ain't technology grand.

    3. Re:Meanwhile from a customer perspective by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Last time I bought kaspersky it cost $59 for a 2 year license for 3 computers. ~$10 a year seems pretty reasonable to me. Now as for windows defender, this product does not play nice with kaspersky and will sometime re-enable itself on its own esp in windows 10. This might be part of the problem.

    4. Re: Meanwhile from a customer perspective by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why is this modded insightful?

      Defender is a piece of shit. The signatures are dated, detection is mediocre at best and removal of infection is nearly non-existent.

      A few years ago, MS themselves publicly stated that their AV product was to be considered baseline protection and nothing more.

      If you believe all the folks whom you recommended to make use of security essentials or defender did not become infected, then you have no business making these types of recommendations. Go look at the last 10 years of AV-comparitives and analyze the results. Then, visit a few malware enthusiast sites like kernel mode.info and see what they think of MS av products. I don't think you would recognize an infection if your dick turned green and fell off.

      I used to visit /. because there were some amazingly intelligent, knowledgeable folks with genuine insight. But this place is just full of ignorant crap now.

  23. Russian Malwares by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    Let's be honest, Kaspersky Anti-Virus engine is white-listing some selected Russian malware and trojans. Capable of DDoS and remot access. MS is just protecting its users.

    1. Re:Russian Malwares by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm waiting for an opportunity already. Give me a good source for this and I'll gladly bring down the house.

    2. Re:Russian Malwares by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am back just to reply to your message. I have posted to kaspersky forum regarding my above problem and the Kaspersky team claimed the signature for that botnet malware was already included in virus signature DB 5 months ago. But I was dumbfounded and just scratched my head, because my KAV software didn't detect it eventhough mine was up to date and was a premium version.

      So no further explanation, that malware was whitelisted by KAV itself. hint, the malware have a russian name which was embedded on its binary.

    3. Re:Russian Malwares by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Before 9/11 I walked on some CIA agents sticking explosives inside the WTC. I asked them "what are you guys doing?" They responded "ask the boss", and pointed at president George W. Bush helping them laying explosives inside the WTC, who told me with a smirk "jet fuel can't melt steal beams." This is a true story.

      Source: This anonymous slashdot comment with no links to back it up.

  24. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While I agree that bundling is a nefarious action, I also would like to point out the serious inferiority of your (ahem) "similarly priced" (ahem) products, when compared to the bundled product.

    Even if the defender product was not bundled with windows, I find it very likely that users would prefer it

    Actually, Kaspersky Lab makes some of the highest rated AV tools. Windows Defender is far less effective. You don't take my word for it either.

    over your advertisment laden, system resource hogging, nagscreen insistent offering of similar price.

    If you don't like the ads, just fork over some money. If you don't like paying money for software then you shouldn't be using Windows.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
  25. Better vs. antivirus: What you can't touch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    See subject: Can't infect you via APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-4 32/64-bit https://www.google.com/search?...

    Ads rob speed, security (malvertising) & privacy (tracking).

    Hosts add speed (hardcodes/adblocks), security (bad sites/poisoned dns), reliability (dns down), & anonymity (dns requestlogs/trackers) natively.

    Works vs. caps & PUSH ads.

    Avg. page = big as Doom http://www.theregister.co.uk/2... & ads = 40% of it.

    Hosts != ClarityRay blockable (vs. souled-out to admen inferior wasteful redundant slow usermode addons)

    Less power/cpu/ram + IO use vs. DNS/routers/addons/antivirus (slows you & uses far more) + less security issues/complexity.

    Compliments firewalls (blocking less used IP addys vs. hosts blocking more used domains) & DNS (lightens dns load).

    Gets data via 10 security sites.

    APK

    P.S. - Safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/... (Verified by Malwarebytes' S. Burn "seen the code & it's safe" http://forum.hosts-file.net/vi... )

    1. Re:Better vs. antivirus: What you can't touch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All that's missing from your post is an avatar of a generic bimbo with implants. I'm not touching your spyware.

  26. A week? Really... by dfeifer · · Score: 1

    I've been running Windows 10 betas since they were available and I know at least Symantec with their end point protection had something that worked when we were still in technical preview..

  27. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by thegarbz · · Score: 1

    If you don't like paying money for software then you shouldn't be using Windows

    Why? Are you implying that somehow opensource doesn't exist on windows? Are you implying that buying a one off vs paying a subscription for a service that in the many years I have used it has given me nothing but false positives and slowdowns are the same thing?

    I don't like paying money for software though I don't mind paying for something with an incredibly permissive license. I will continue using Windows quite happily thank you very much, I don't like ads so I chose not to install that piece of shit.

  28. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    windows defender consumes significantly fewer resources

    Actually, I object to that designation, at least on windows 8, where on boot with my 500GB SSD, windows defender will render the system unresponsive for at least a minute while utilizing 100% of the "Disk" capacity in task manager until it's done with whatever scan it feels is higher priority than anything I'd prefer to do.

  29. So what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So what?

    Embrace, extend, extinguish has been Microsoft's mantra for decades; this is just more of the same.

    If you don't want to compete with Microsoft, don't write software for the platform.

  30. He's lying by Espectr0 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I am a customer of Kaspersky Endpoint Security (the antivirus version for business). For the past 3 years, Kaspersky has never had an antivirus product compatible for the latest Windows version upon release. Windows 10 correctly disabled Kaspersky upon install. I don't know if the claim about disabling even compatible versions is true.

    They never even had betas before release. We had to wait nearly a year for a compatible version with Windows 8.1 and several months for Windows 10.

    In my opinion, they seem understaffed

    1. Re:He's lying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Windows 10 correctly disabled Kaspersky upon install.

      "correctly" would assume the user chose to install Windows 10. Otherwise, any update can install anything and replace with Paint 4D because the user "chose" to replace Windows 10.00004903 with Windows 10.00004904 which is so obviously incompatible with 3rdPartyPaint 4D.

  31. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by hairyfeet · · Score: 1

    Yeah uhhh...there is a problem with your rant and its the simple fact that Windows Defender doesn't work worth a shit at least not in the real world with real bugs.

    Allow me to introduce myself...Hi! I'm the resident PC shop guy, its my job to clean up the messes that Joe and Sally Average get themselves into. I'm popular enough I don't advertise anymore and just get customers by word of mouth so I must be doing something right and Windows Defender? Yeah its a POS. I've had customers come to me with just about every free and paid AV there is out there and WD? Those PCs are always the worst infected by a country mile. Sure it uses less resources, I'd argue because it doesn't do much of anything it really doesn't need lots of resources in the first place. Sure its better than nothing but that ain't saying much.

    From what I've seen at the shop? The best paid are Eset and Bitdefender, the best free are Avast, Comodo, and Adaware. With those AVs you hardly find anything and what you do find is usually pretty benign stuff like PUPs whereas with WD? Those are the ones I see the "This PC is locked by the FBI" bug, the Security Tool 201x bug, all the real nasty shit just seems to blow right through it. Makes me think its like Norton was back in the day, remember that? In case you don't back when Norton was hot shit all the bug writers tested against Norton because they knew it was included by default with a lot of OEMs so if your bug could bypass Norton? That opened up a LOT of systems you could infect. I bet the same is true for WD, bug writers test against WD because they know its the default on Win 10 and lazy users won't change defaults so there ya go, lots of targets.

    So I really wouldn't use WD or MSE on anything that you actually worried about getting infected. Sure it has its uses, I have it on my gamer rig but that is really nothing more than a box that plays Steam games so its really there just for peace of mind more than anything, the quad beside it I actually use for surfing? That has Comodo IS on it.

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  32. Butthurt by jenningsthecat · · Score: 0

    Kaspersky has been making a good living off of Windows' security deficiencies for about 15 years. Now that Microsoft has decided to turn its own deficiencies into a revenue stream, Kaspersky is upset. I hate Microsoft, but I don't have a lot of sympathy for Kaspersky's laments about the end of the gravy train. I DO have some sympathy for Windows users who have their chosen programs disabled and who are otherwise abused by Microsoft; then again, if they'd just stop bending over and taking it every time Redmond makes 'advances', Windows wouldn't have a near-monopoly on the desktop OS market.

    Windows is like Trump's presidency - it exists and has power because too many people of supposedly good conscience did nothing to oppose it. As for Kaspersky: well, Microsoft's sleazy empire-building ways have been obvious for a loooong time. He should have spent more effort on promoting alternatives, and less on oinking at the MS trough.

    --
    'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
  33. Re: Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus make by aliquis · · Score: 2

    Then stop using Windows.

    I guess clown attack season is over and you've come here instead.

    Anyway there's no need to stop using Windows and no need to pay for all software since Windows defender is there which is the case, scenario and why it's used. It's free and make Windows somewhat more secure.

  34. oops! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Comrade TRUMP will certainly put an end to this!

  35. find something new by smithcl8 · · Score: 1

    Key manufacturers have to really love keyless entry systems. If the need for your product disappears or you can no longer compete, you need to find something else to do. Yay capitalism!!!

  36. It's DeJavu all over again by p51d007 · · Score: 1

    Didn't we go through this in the 90's with IE vs Opera/Firefox et al?

  37. AAA software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Antitrust antivirus from the antichrist. Who would have thought?

  38. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Preach!
    Absolutely the dead-on truth.
    I've tried them all and Defender does the job without acting like a virus itself.
    Most of the other junk has evolved into malware.

  39. Re:Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus maker by ayesnymous · · Score: 1

    Since when is Defender a superior product? Isn't it the basically the same as Security Essentials, which had initially gotten good reviews in its first few years, but subsequently rated the worst at detection among all the antivirus products?

  40. Downmods, eh? LMAO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: When you take me down from +1 to 0 'funny', I find it funny you can't validly technically prove me wrong...

    APK

    P.S.=> Downmod that whimps - do it, I'll do my usual & post it again so you can't "hide it" (or try to vainly) - I'll get you to blow those "downmodpoints" so you run out of them as usual... apk

  41. Re: Dear Kaspersky, and other upset antivirus make by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Come on Kaspersky, your software sucks. Your support sucks too. Can't blame them. And before you say well you have had a bad experience and it's not the norm, let me just point out that I am computer tech, servicing several thousand computers. Personal and corporate. And we stopped selling your product years ago because of how people were getting scammed trying to get support from you guys. Stop your belly aching and keep up the half assed job your known for...

  42. Wow. by mschaffer · · Score: 0

    Wow, when did /. get overcome by MS fanbois?

  43. Learn to read & eat your words moron! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject - this is in my last post proving it's 100% safe https://www.virustotal.com/en/...

    +

    The code's line by line literally verified by a respected security pro from a respected company in Malwarebytes' S. Burn "I've seen the code & it's safe" http://forum.hosts-file.net/vi...

    APK

    P.S.=> Now, what's that you said, loser? apk