kaspersky Kaspersky Files Antitrust Complaint Against Microsoft over Windows 10 Antivirus - Updated

[vissha]

Kaspersky Files Antitrust Complaint Against Microsoft over Windows 10 Antivirus - Updated

 

 

Legal complaints filed with EU and German watchdog

 

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Eugene Kaspersky, co-founder of Russian security firm Kaspersky, has just announced that the company filed anti-trust complaints against Microsoft with the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office, after previously doing the same thing in late 2016 with Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS).

 

Kaspersky claims that Microsoft is turning to unfair tactics to force users to stick with Windows Defender, the default antivirus in Windows 10. In a blog post today, Kaspersky accuses the Redmond-based software giant of removing third-party antivirus when upgrading to Windows 10, using its dominant position to promote its own security product.

 

“Microsoft’s antivirus is hardwired into all versions of Windows 10 for home users: it’s impossible to turn it off completely, impossible to delete. Until recently no one asked you if you needed it or not. There was a time when, even if you used a different security solution, Microsoft’s own AV all the same periodically ran scans,” Kaspersky says.

 

Kaspersky: Other security companies must support us

 

Microsoft is mostly doing this because its antivirus has failed to remain competitive and because third-party security products are a lot more powerful, he continues, blaming the software giant for using its position only against antivirus products because this is a market where others are leading.

 

“Such restriction is applied only to antiviruses - with which Microsoft has been trying to compete (and not doing very well at) for years. But in previous (pre-10) versions of Windows there were no such special measures. Thus, it looks like, after years with no success (in competing with other antiviruses), Microsoft has resorted to the use of alternative, OS-empowered (in our view - underhand) tactics,” he adds.

 

Microsoft not only removes third-party antivirus products from Windows when the upgrade is performed but the company isn’t giving vendors enough time to prepare their security software for new versions of Windows. And this is one of the reasons they are eventually blocked when the upgrade is performed, he says.

 

Kaspersky ends his plea by calling for Microsoft to support fair and healthy competition, while also asking other security vendors to join this effort and file antitrust complaints against the software giant.

 

“We want Microsoft to stop misleading and misinforming our - and not only our - users. We want to see all security solutions being able to work on the Windows platform on a level playing field. And we want to see users being able to decide for themselves what they want and consider important to them,” Kaspersky added.

 

Microsoft has already released a statement, saying that it does not infringe competition rules and it’s willing to work with antitrust bodies on addressing all these claims.

 

UPDATE: Microsoft has provided us with an updated statement, explaining that it tried to reach out to Kaspersky to discuss the said concerns, but a meeting is yet to take place. Furthermore, the firm emphasized that existing Windows 10 security features do not violate any competition rules.

 

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[straycat19]

I hope Kaspersky wins this suit.  Somebody needs to get the message to Microsoft that they can't be the software dictators of the world.

[lurch234]

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Somebody needs to get the message to Microsoft that they can't be the software dictators of the world.

 

Microsofts ultimate goal for its customer base:

 

[tao]

Microsoft to Kaspersky: Windows 10 Antivirus Does Not Infringe Competition Rules

 

Microsoft says in a statement that all security features in Windows 10 comply with competition rules, pointing out that despite the antitrust complaint filed by Kaspersky, it's not worried that competition watchdogs would think otherwise.

 

The software giant explains that it's always working with security vendors across the world to make sure that their products run correctly in Windows and goes on to explain that it has even tried to meet with Kaspersky officials to discuss their concerns, though the meeting hasn't yet taken place.

 

"Microsoft's primary objective is to keep customers protected and we are confident that the security features of Windows 10 comply with competition laws. We're always interested in feedback from other companies and we engage deeply with antimalware vendors and have taken a number of steps to address their feedback. We reached out directly to Kaspersky a number of months ago offering to meet directly at an executive level to better understand their concerns, but that meeting has not yet taken place," a company spokesperson told us.

 

Kaspersky vs. Microsoft

 

Russian security company Kaspersky has filed antitrust complaints against Microsoft with Russia, EU, and Germany's competition watchdogs, claiming that the software giant uses its dominant position to push its own antivirus in Windows 10, which is detrimental to third-party solutions.

 

Furthermore, Kaspersky says that third-party software is often removed when upgrading to new versions of Windows, notifications of expiring licenses are blocked, and the company does not give vendors enough time to test their antivirus products before updating Windows.

 

Previously, it was believed that Microsoft and Kaspersky met in late 2016 to address some of these concerns, and this is what the Redmond-based company seems to suggest as well, given that some modifications have already been implemented in Windows 10.

 

For the moment, however, a response from Kaspersky on whether the company is still open to negotiations over the Windows 10 antivirus practices is not yet available, but Microsoft seems to be ready for another antitrust dispute, as it believes that no competition rules are violated.