Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Best Buy Stops Selling Kaspersky Security Software (startribune.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the cease-and-desist dept.

swschrad writes: Call it a stampede, call it a business decision, but Best Buy has pulled Kaspersky internet security software from its shelves and website. Some in the U.S. government suspect Russian ties make it a suspicious product. Since all major security companies have links with each other and with government security agencies, sharing threat evidence to find counters, Kaspersky's defense seems valid. But if you want it, be prepared to buy it off their own website. Best Buy will give Kaspersky software purchasers 45 days to exchange it for free for another product if they want. Additionally, customers can also uninstall it themselves or have a Geek Squad agent do it for free within that time window.

8 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. If you rely on ANY antivirus software then by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If you rely on ANY antivirus software then you have already lost. I'm surprised people even still run that shit. Has it even been shown that AV software does anything whatsoever? I've never seen one detect an infection. Usually I'm cleaning off infections from multiple sources that the AV completely failed to detect.

    Generally all AV software does is load your system down making it slower and less responsive while not actually protecting you from anything other than exploits from 10 years ago and often not even them.

    1. Re: If you rely on ANY antivirus software then by Monster_user · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I haven't gotten an infection in years. I use NoScript in Firefox, and generally stick to trusted websites these days. I still wouldn't run a modern internet connected operating system without an AntiVirus. The lack of an antivirus on iOS is a concern.

    2. Re: If you rely on ANY antivirus software then by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The lack of an antivirus on iOS is a concern.

      In what way exactly? A concern that iOS is not burdened with snake oil bloatware?

  2. security software is a JOKE by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 3, Insightful

    or, rather, a full blown scam.

    the exploits that the US SPOOKS want to keep, they keep and they tell the antivir companies NOT to report on.

    that makes all of them - 100% of them - completely untrustworthy. afterall, if their virus check lets to so-called good guys' malware thru, what if you don't think the good guys ARE good guys? and today, a lot of us don't think our own good guys are all that, well, 'good'.

    how much could the russians fuck me over? personally - me? not very much. chinese? not very much. US? a whole fucking lot!

    I have more to fear from my own so-called good guys than I ever will have to worry about from the foreign 'bad guys'.

    this black and white view has to stop. people need to learn that there are many grey levels and giving 100% trust to anyone is a mistake, in today's world.

    since the whole antivir space is highly political, I choose not to buy any of their products. if my system gets fucked, I'll reinstall. but then again, I rarely use windows anymore and almost never do I do anything on a public network with windows.

    its sad that the US vendors are buying this BS story about one antivir company being 'good' and the other being 'bad'. then again, I bet the decision is made for them, if you get my drift. yet another reason our good guys aren't quite so good anymore.

    --

    --
    "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    1. Re:security software is a JOKE by stonedown · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The idea that Russian or Chinese hackers couldn't hurt you personally is ludicrous on its face.

      I used Kaspersky many years ago, but would strongly recommend against it now. There is too much risk that the Russian government, which is basically a massive criminal enterprise, has its fingers in that pie.

      I am OK with Best Buy making this call. If you want to go to the website and order directly from Kaspersky, more power to you.

    2. Re: security software is a JOKE by Monster_user · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Is it really that bad? I just figure that nothing has changed, other than the propaganda.

  3. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  4. Best Buy... by MrKevvy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... is this the same Best Buy who is best buds with the FBI and whose "Geek Squad" warrantlessly scans every hard drive they touch looking for kiddie porn, warez, etc. and gets paid commission for what they find?

    I strongly doubt they have their customer's security interests in mind.

    --
    -- Insert witty one-liner here. --