I assumed people here knew, do you use KASPERSKY LABS on your PC? URGENT!! URGENT!!

[Eliot Rosewater]

for security, anti virus?

Get rid of it immediately



https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-kasperskylab-probe-idUSKBN1AD2H0

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional panel this week asked 22 government agencies to share documents on Moscow-based cyber firm Kaspersky Lab, saying its products could be used to carry out "nefarious activities against the United States," according to letters seen by Reuters.

The requests made on Thursday by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology are the latest blow to the antivirus company, which has been countering accusations by U.S. officials that it may be vulnerable to Russian government influence.

[global1]

1. Wbat Is The Recommendation for Getting Kaspersky Off A Computer And....

what is an adequate replacement?

What is the best way to do this - so that one's computer is not vulnerable during the time one removes it from their computer and replaces it with a new security/anti-virus software.

I think addressing this and letting people know that it is relatively easy - it would be good for someone to write out some specific instructions for this as many people are not computer savvy.

Many computers came right from the maker - with Kaspersky loaded on them.

Is there any problem with removing Kaspersky from a computer that came pre-loaded versus one that the person themselves bought the Kaspersky software and loaded it themselves.

[Eliot Rosewater]

3. Is Kaspersky the main security or is it a malwarebytes thing, if

you know what I mean.

If it is your PRIMARY source to protect the computer, then I dont know the answer because while you would install a new system, the question is can that new system install with kaspersky still on and running, if not how do you install new system and not risk exposure?

I suggest googling it and maybe contacting your local computer guy or gal.

[teach1st]

9. Windows Defender should kick in when you uninstall your current antivirus program

If you have a later version of Windows, the Windows malware program, Windows Defender should automatically turn itself on when you uninstall Kaspersky.

Best free antivirus programs: http://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-antivirus

If you feel a simple uninstall of Kaspersky is not to be trusted, try uninstalling with one of these:

Best uninstaller programs: http://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-software-uninstaller

[bitterross]

30. I use F-Secure. It's from Finland

I chose F-Secure over any US product and Kapersky for simple reasons. One, I thought it would be less prone to influence by the NSA since it's not a US company and it wasn't Russian. I made the choice to avoid Russian products long before our current situation.

It is my hope, not a verified one, that a Finnish company, from the homeland of Linus Torvalds the LINUX creator, is less susceptible to government manipulation than any US or Russian company.

[FSogol]

45. Finland? Aren't you afraid they'll throw the master switch on their software and

Then we'll all be eating open faced sandwiches with crushed roe spread instead of cheese?

[bitterross]

46. LOL! Considering we're eating shit from Russia now it might be an improvement.

[Warren DeMontague]

49. They will loot your fisk

[FSogol]

50. Don't blame me when the fast food places start serving these:

[beam me up scottie]

53. !

[FakeNoose]

52. Make sure you're disconnected from the internet before uninstalling

You have to download a new antivirus/security software first, but don't install it yet.

Disconnect from the internet (or turn off the router), then uninstall the Kasperksy software. Make sure it's all deleted from your system.

Install the new anti-virus/security software and make sure it's running before reconnecting to your network or internet (turn router back on). I've relied on Norton for many years but there are other good ones out there. The good ones all cost money, don't skimp on security. The good ones have continual updating and checking of malware definitions.

Good luck!

[Achilleaze]

2. republican collusion with russia has left America wide open for more

of russia's ongoing ACTS OF WAR* against the people of the United States. republicans are in many ways collaborating on the overthrow of America via a hostile foreign power. Lord save us all from the ill-intentioned russians and their republican crony comrades.



* As determined and unanimously agreed upon by all 17 US Intelligence Agencies, and even dick freaking Cheney

[R B Garr]

7. +1,000, yes, 17 US Intelligence Agencies. Great post.

[Oneironaut]

4. I doubt a simple uninstall would do anything. Malware could easily be left behind.

I recommend wiping your hard drive with a program that clears it completely and reinstalling Windows on the wiped hard drive. Of course, your computer is full of Chinese-born chips, so really, who is safe anyways? If you have Kaspersky, might as well just keep it at that point.

[TheBlackAdder]

41. A quick serch will reveal removal instructions. Ccleaner and Malwarebytes work well together.

[MineralMan]

5. Hmm...I've never had an Kaspersky products on

my computers, frankly. I've always wondered about that company, so I've just avoided it.

However, your urgency and alarm are not necessarily warranted. Sure, people can uninstall Kaspersky's anti-virus programs, if they choose. Personally, I'm OK with just having Windows Defender on mine, with an occasional anti-malwarebytes scan.

I'm very careful, though, with my browsing and other habits on the computer.

Here's the real problem, if Kaspersky has malevolent intent: They've installed their anti-virus program on many machines, and who knows what other stuff they've put on there? Just uninstalling it might well not do the job you thought it did. If they're really a malicious company, they also have the skills to install something in the process that you're unaware of and that won't get uninstalled.

I'm sure there are people looking for such a thing, but if it's there, getting rid of Kaspersky from your PC is probably not as easy as you might think. I'd keep an eye on stories in the tech world about that, if you have it. You may think you have removed it completely from your computer, but you may be wrong, too. There are no guarantees, really.

The bottom line is that you need backups of all your data files that is kept somewhere besides on your computer. That way, if something messes up your computer, you can recover. Without that, you're just playing craps all the time.

[Eliot Rosewater]

6. I dont know enough about puters to know the "how" but I know you agree people

need to be warned, especially now that I hear they are actually giving away their product for free in many places, there is a post here about it.


https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=9392596

[MineralMan]

8. Clearly, you are probably not completely informed.

It's fine to warn people that Kaspersky might pose a risk, but without providing technical instructions on how to get rid of it safely, while making sure people's computers still have anti-virus and anti-malware protection, you're only raising the alarm without helping people do what you say they should do.

Kaspersky anti-virus, by all accounts, is very effective at what it's supposed to do. Unless people replace it with something equally capable, they will be at a much higher risk from viruses and malware, which might be a worse situation to be in.

It's not enough to just run by screaming that the sky is falling. Unless you have concrete suggestions about what exactly to do about that possibility, you might just cause panic and create a worse problem, really.

I'm not a fan of "the end is near" sort of posts. More useful would be to find a trusted Internet expert resource that provides step-by-step instructions for getting rid of Kaspersky and replacing it with something else.

That way, at least, you'll be offering more than just alarm.

Up to you, of course.

[Eliot Rosewater]

10. You are right, I am not a specialist so I cant tell people how to fix it, only that the risk

exists.

I assumed I wouldnt even have to post about it that this would be a big discussion here already.

[MineralMan]

12. My point, exactly. Perhaps sounding the "alarm" isn't such

a good idea unless you have instructions for how to deal with it. Just saying...

There's a good reason I've never installed any Kaspersky products. But, that's just me. Lots of other people have done so.

Is there a risk? Sure, I suppose. That's why I never installed them.

Go search for "uninstall Kaspersky." I'm sure you'll find plenty of advice.

[Eliot Rosewater]

13. But how is it so many people here you KNOW have this system running and

lots of people arent here talking about it?

Oh well.

I would think people would want to know.

[MineralMan]

17. How come so many people here visit clickbait websites

that are loaded with ads that serve up malware? Or visit porn sites? Or do any of the stupid things people do with their computers?

Kaspersky may or may not be a risk. I don't know. But, since I don't trust Russian computer companies, I've never been tempted to use their programs.

Kaspersky has instructions for completely removing it's products. Google uninstall kaspersky to find out how to do it from kaspersky. Now, I can't say if what they recommend will work or not, or if their method will leave some stuff on your PC. I don't know.

Keep an eye on Microsoft and other trusted software publishers. If there is a real threat, they'll have some way soon to get rid of the Kaspersky stuff safely. That's my best advice, unless you're techie enough to do a complete refresh of your system from the beginning.

[Eliot Rosewater]

19. did you see this?

unrelated (or is it?) but my blood pressure is sky high now

[MineralMan]

21. I'm not going to spend 12 minutes watching that.

What is your concern from that video?

[BannonsLiver]

15. There's sounding the alarm

And then there is SOUNDING THE ALARM!1!1!!!

[MineralMan]

18. Call Congress Right Fucking Now!

Insist that they do something about this! We're all DOOMED!

[cwydro]

22. Lol!

Exactly!

[lostnfound]

14. Several intelligence heads testifying before congress are clearly worried about it.

I was watching it at the time. Rather alarming, actually.

"Daniel Coats, the Director of National Intelligence; Michael Pompeo, Director of the CIA; Michael Rogers, Director of the NSA; Andrew McCabe, Acting Director of the FBI; Vincent Stewart, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency; and Robert Cardillo, Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency didn't agree on much, but they did agree on two things – they believe Putin meddled with the US elections, and they don't recommend using Kaspersky's software.

All the spymasters were asked if they still agreed that Russia interfered in the presidential election by hacking computers used by Republicans and Democrats and leaking internal documents. The answer was a unanimous yes."

Sky is falling messages can sometimes be useful at getting a couple of people to carry the ball forward, some other person on here may well post instructions for handling replacement of kaspersky software.

[MineralMan]

16. A simple google search will provide information

on how to remove Kaspersky products, but, there's a catch. You have to use Kaspersky's own tool to do that. Odd, huh?

You can't just, for example, use the Windows Uninstall Programs feature to do it. You can't just delete files. Like a lot of resident anti-virus programs, Kaspersky operates at a deeper core level that most software. Frankly, I could not find an uninstall method that completely removes it, other than the instructions provided by Kaspersky itself.

That's the problem with software like that. In order to be effective, it protects itself very very well. Otherwise some clever malware outfit would figure out how to get rid of it so it could infect your machine.

It's also very difficult to completely remove most anti-virus protection software, for the same reasons.

Probably the only real way to do it would be to completely wipe your system and reinstall everything from scratch, but few people are going to want to go that far.

Bottom line: If Kaspersky anti-virus software is actually malware waiting to be activated, it will probably be successful at what it wants to do, in most cases. Again, that's why it's never been installed on any computers I have owned. I don't trust Russian software companies that want root level access to my PC.

Before long, if this is actually a threat that people need to deal with, some other company will figure out a way to completely remove the Kaspersky program, all of its files and secure your system. I'd watch Microsoft for a solution, along with other anti-virus software publishers. I haven't seen anything about such a piece of utility software, but if there's a serious risk, someone will be along with a program to clear Kaspersky from your PC.

In the meantime, you can uses Kaspersky's own method for uninstalling. Just Google uninstall kaspersky.

[lostnfound]

37. I have a mac now and don't use it. But I help a couple of people with theirs...

And this is a reminder to me to help them check to see whether they have it.

[MineralMan]

20. You'd have a better chance of finding a method

on Google, really. At this stage, there's really nothing out there on this that's definitive. Kaspersky, itself, however, has a method for uninstalling the programs, if you trust them. I'm sure it works, but whether it gets rid of every trace, I don't know. I can't test it, because there are no Kaspersky products on any of the half dozen PCs where I am.

[R B Garr]

23. Great info. Congress has already been called.

[miyazaki]

11. Never touched that hacker shit.

You can make attempts to minimize your footprints, but in today's age, everyone is so wired
that "they" probably know what time you went to bed last night to what you've already had for breakfast
this morning.

[mobeau69]

24. Get an iMac. Problem solved. n/t

[Gabi Hayes]

27. Ho.....my "computer" is currently a 4"

iPod touch

Mini iPad

Pain in the ass, but I have a Logitech Bluetooth slotted keyboard for typing ease, when I'm not lounging in bed

Looks funny

Works fine

[Skittles]

32. because everyone has that kind of money

[TheBlackAdder]

42. That was true years back, when Mac OS wasn't widely used. Now antivirus programs are needed.

Unless your PC operating system runs in a protected supervisor state, which none do, you're vulnerable.

The closest you can get to a safe machine is by running Qubes OS.

[LanternWaste]

51. Coke vs. Pepsi is so passe...

Coke vs. Pepsi is so passe...

[Egnever]

25. Good lord the hype is unbelievable

There is zero evidence that Kaspersky has ever been compromised.

Remove it if you wish but know that you are doing so.based on paranoia not any evidence of Kaspersky ever actually doing anything wrong.

[Hoyt]

26. Latest conspiracy theory. Similar to bush era, "terror, terror, terror," except aimed at Ruskies.

Don't use it, but I doubt it will be a problem if I did.

[lillypaddle]

28. kick nt

[GetRidOfThem]

29. Symantic/Norton myself

On all PCs I own (more than 12!). Good on virus protection, a bit behind on ransomware.

[FreepFryer]

31. IMMEDIATELY SET YOUR HAIR ON FIRE TO AVOID GETTING COLD THIS WINTER!

Yes, remove Kaspersky if you have it installed, and don't use it.

No, don't freak out.

[ucrdem]

33. I dunno, a country that gave us Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and method acting

can't be all bad . . .

[fleabiscuit]

34. People may have been played for quite some time.

"It might be time to stop using antivirus"

"...As always, irrespective of whether you decide to use AV, regularly updating your OS and software is one of the best ways to keep your computer safe. This also means that you should stop using Windows 7 or 8 and update to Windows 10...."

The end of the url pretty well sums it up
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/01/antivirus-is-bad/

[Lithos]

36. The best rule of thumb is this

- Don't install/open/run it if you were not looking for it.
- If you need it, keep it updated
- If you do not need it anymore, remove it.

[fleabiscuit]

38. I've never owned any antivirus applications.

I don't let mail auto load remote content. I only let flash or java run if absolutely necessary. I've never used windows or linux for personal use. I'm a stickler for strong passwords. I update software as soon as it's available. 27 year personal computer use. As far as I know I've never had a computer virus. That's not true for some web sites or retailers I have had to use though.

[Lithos]

44. I have pretty much stopped

You've adopted a good use pattern - though OSX is also vulnerable as equally as the others these days. Unless you are making a distinction with Linux vs BSD.

[Lithos]

35. A bit emotional in tone

The article is really not helpful.

I totally agree with not providing sufficient information to actually do anything. And even if it were compromised, then you still have the issue of wondering if you truly uninstalled everything it may have placed in your system.

To be honest, self-security (cyber security) is a multi-layered approach. An AV is a lot like a disposable air-bag which deploys only after one or more other things have failed. And like an air-bag you're hoping that whatever wreck you're having is not severe enough so you can walk away unscathed. To be honest, many scams out there which defeat your privacy and security do so using social engineering techniques.

And lastly, there is also the notion that having an AV gives a false-sense of security, leading to riskier behavior so you're more inclined to do things which will ultimately get to the point where the AV will not protect you.

For those who are slightly curious - here's a non-technical article which describes some of the background and gives you some general guidelines for approaching things. Obviously it can't cover the whole gamut of the cyber-security experience, but it is still a good place to start.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2017/02/why_you_can_t_depend_on_antivirus_software_anymore.html

[Eliot Rosewater]

39. So what is better, say nothing and be ignorant, or be a bit emotional and say something?

Never mind, at least you werent one of the many who poo-pooed it , making it clear to me who they are.

[leftstreet]

43. Thanks for posting this link

A good read

[Bettie]

47. We don't.

My beloved geeky husband is very careful about what is on our PCs.

[WinkyDink]

48. You're helpful, but you could cool the condescending "ASSumed" posts, plural. We discuss many

topics in many iterations.

Just post with details rather than vague remarks.