The official Android app for Kaspersky antivirus software have been removed from the Google Play app store in the latest blow for the company.
BleepingComputer notes the move appears to have happened over the weekend, with Kaspersky's developer accounts also disabled and removed following a recent ban by the US government.
"The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security recently announced a variety of restrictions on Kaspersky. As a result, we have removed Kaspersky’s apps from Google Play," a Google spokesperson said.
Kaspersky Android app removed
In a post on its official forums, Kaspersky said it was aware of the issue, and was investigating why its software is no longer available on Google's app store.
"The downloads and updates of Kaspersky products are temporarily unavailable on the Google Play store," a Kaspersky employee posted.
"Kaspersky is currently investigating the circumstances behind the issue and exploring potential solutions to ensure that users of its products can continue downloading and updating their applications from Google Play."
The company said users could still download its apps from alternative app stores, such as Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, and Xiaomi GetApps, or install the apps by downloading the .apk installation file from Kaspersky's website.
The move is the latest problem to hit the security giant, which has faced mounting issues in recent months as it faces US sanctions following concerns over national security. The US has long argued Kaspersky software is at risk of being manipulated by the Russian government to hand over secrets and control of the computers, and ordered a full ban on the sale of its products earlier in 2024.
The Russian firm was added to the US Entity List, which comprises “foreign individuals, companies, and organizations deemed a national security concern,”, with a ban on the sale of Kaspersky products starting July 20, 2024.
Subsequent updates to Kaspersky software also ceased from September 29, but the company did offer free security products and safety tips to its customers for six months.
This was followed by further controversy in September 2024 when Kaspersky customers in the US found their antivirus software replaced without warning with a new solution called UltraAV.
"Kaspersky has recently been informed by the Google Play store that its developer account has been terminated, and its product apps removed from the platform," a company spokesperson told TechRadar Pro in a statement.
"Google’s decision refers to recent U.S. government actions, restricting the distribution and sales of Kaspersky products in the United States after September 29. Although these restrictions have no material legal effect outside the U.S., Google unilaterally decided to remove our products from Google Play ahead of September 29, depriving worldwide users of access to Kaspersky solutions."
"We believe Google’s decision is based on an overinterpretation of the U.S. restrictions, which was not backed by a confirmation from the U.S. Department of Commerce. These restrictive measures do not prohibit the sale or distribution of Kaspersky products and services outside the country. Kaspersky has also communicated this understanding to the U.S. Department of Commerce, and we hope to receive additional guidance from the Department shortly."
"Kaspersky remains committed to protecting the world from cyberthreats, and users can still continue to download Kaspersky products from other mobile stores, including Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, Xiaomi GetApps or directly from the Kaspersky website: https://www.kaspersky.com/small-to-medium-business-security/downloads/endpoint."
"Please see the details for Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Android installation at the link How to install and update Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Android."
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