Slashdot Mirror
Kaspersky Files Antitrust Complaint Against Microsoft Over Disabling Its Antivirus Software (bloomberg.com)
Russian security software maker Kaspersky Lab has filed antitrust complaints against Microsoft with the European Commission and the German federal cartel office, it said in a statement on Tuesday. From a report: Kaspersky sent a formal complaint to European Union and German antitrust regulators, saying "hurdles" created by Microsoft limit consumer choice and drive up the cost of security software. "With the release of Windows 10, Microsoft started to create obstacles to competing manufacturers of security solutions, and introduce different ways of pushing users to forgo third-party software in favor of its own Windows Defender," Moscow-based Kaspersky said in a statement. In a statement, Eugene Kaspersky said, "We see clearly -- and are ready to prove -- that Microsoft uses its dominant position in the computer operating system (OS) market to fiercely promote its own -- inferior -- security software (Windows Defender) at the expense of users' previously self-chosen security solution. Such promotion is conducted using questionable methods, and we want to bring these methods to the attention of the anti-competition authorities."
Microsoft has created a monopoly by almost literally forcing (decades ago) OEMs to pre-infect their hardware with Windows OS. If Microsoft can have a monopoly on systems infected with malware, then why can't it have a monopoly on the cure? It must be one of the rules of acquisition. Sell them the problem, and then sell them the cure for it. Why should others be able to profit selling the solution to a problem Microsoft created? If the solution is "too" effective, then malware may disappear -- which would hurt the market for anti-malware.
I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
I'm not expecting any different outcome in the long run.
Microsoft has been an upstanding corporate citizen since settling the US antitrust case and increasing its lobbying budget from zero dollars to millions of dollars each year.
That company makes cars easily stolen because the lock is weak. Thus a number of 3rd party shops sell locks that improve the car security. Then the car maker decides to fix the locks and the 3rd party accessory is not necessary anymore - who is to blame? Seriously, these anti-viruses have always been Windows parasites that only flourished thanks to Microsoft unable to implement a decent security solution earlier.
Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
They don't do this because Kapersky is one of the ways Russian GRU intelligence is using to exploit and spy on everyone. I have not doubt in my mind it's backdoored to high hell because one of the lead founders was recently arrested for spying and it was noted he was a ranking member of the Russian Intelligence services. This would be like Norton being owned by the NSA. Given that I don't know how anyone can trust Kapersky not to be littered with backdoors and Russian intelligence extra's.
Just an an FYI, Kapersky anti-virus is banned from use on US government computers for this reason just as several Chinese made switches are banned because the company executives are high ranking PRC Army intelligence.
You might not like Microsoft but their executives aren't ranking spies in the NSA or other spy agencies.