Kaspersky gives US customers six months free security software as a farewell

Image credit: Kaspersky (Image credit: Kaspersky)

Kaspersky is withdrawing from the US market following a ban on the sale of its software, but as a farewell gift, the company is offering free security products and safety tips to its customers.

The Russian firm was added to the US Entity List, which comprises “foreign individuals, companies, and organizations deemed a national security concern.”

The ban on the sale of Kaspersky products comes into effect on July 20, 2024, with subsequent updates to Kaspersky software ceasing from September 29.

Kaspersky exits US

When visiting Kaspersky’s US website, users will now be greeted with a pop-up stating “With Kaspersky leaving the U.S., we’d like to pay you back with the least we can: gifting you a selection of our security solutions for free for 6 months.”

The company also provides some internet security tips:

remember to always back up your data
be wary of links and double-check their source before clicking
protect your identity online, change passwords regularly, and keep them long and complex

As Kaspersky updates will no longer be allowed after September 29, users who choose to accept the 6 months of free security protection will have to manually update their antivirus definitions via the Kaspersky website.

This does, however, mean that the security of the product may decrease as the software will not update automatically as soon as one is available.

Kaspersky users looking for a new protection provider may want to check out our guide to the best antivirus, or our writeup of the best firewalls.

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Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division), then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.