Google removes Kaspersky security apps globally

Google removed Kaspersky’s Android security apps from the Play Store over the weekend. The company also disabled Kaspersky’s developer accounts. This means users can no longer access products like Kaspersky Endpoint Security and VPN & Antivirus by Kaspersky in the US and other regions worldwide.

Kaspersky confirmed the removal on its official forums on Sunday. The company said it is looking into why this happened. “The downloads and updates of Kaspersky products are temporarily unavailable on the Google Play Store,” a Kaspersky employee stated.

Kaspersky is exploring ways to make sure users can still download and update their apps from other sources. For now, Kaspersky has told users to install its security apps from other app stores. These include the Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, and Xiaomi GetApps.

Google removes Kaspersky globally

Users can also download the .apk installation files directly from Kaspersky’s website. The company provided step-by-step instructions on how to install and activate the software on Android devices.

The removal follows recent restrictions put on Kaspersky by the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security. A Google spokesperson said these restrictions led to the decision to block Kaspersky and its products from the Play Store. “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,” the spokesperson stated. This comes after Kaspersky shut down its US operations earlier this year. The move was in response to US government sanctions over national security concerns.

Since then, the company has been proactively replacing its antivirus software on customers’ computers across the US. It has been using UltraAV’s antivirus solution instead, without notifying customers beforehand.