Kaspersky Lab unveils free Antivirus Software worldwide
Kaspersky Lab has rolled out a free version of its antivirus software, “bare-essential” across the globe, a product launch that comes amid mounting suspicion in the United States that the cyber firm is vulnerable to Russian government influence.
Kaspersky in a statement said the free version was not intended to replace the paid versions of its antivirus software, describing it as offering "the bare essentials", such as email and web antivirus protection and automatic updates.
“Kaspersky Free was immediately available in the United States, Canada, and several Asia- Pacific countries and would launch in other regions in the coming months,” Eugene Kaspersky, the company founder, wrote in a blog post.
But the free software would benefit all of Kaspersky Lab's customers by improving machine learning across its products, he said.
The company has been working on Kaspersky Free for 18 months, a development phase that included pilot versions in several markets, including Russia, Ukraine, China and Scandinavian countries. But the company has faced suspicion for years about its ties to Russia's Federal Security Service or FSB.
Privately-held Kaspersky said its US revenue, most of which comes from selling antivirus software to consumers and small businesses, slipped from $164 million in 2014 to about $156 million in 2016.
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