Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Google has removed Kaspersky Android security app from the Google Play Store and disabled the developer account of the Russian cybersecurity firm. Over the past week, users have reported that Kaspersky products are no longer available on Google Play in the United States and several other countries.
According to CNN, Kaspersky confirmed the issue, stating that they are “currently investigating the circumstances behind this situation and exploring potential solutions to ensure that users can continue downloading and updating their apps from Google Play.”
The company suspects the decision is linked to a U.S. government ban on Kaspersky antivirus products, which went into effect after September 29.
Although the ban primarily affects the U.S., Kaspersky noted that Google preemptively removed their security app from the Play Store prior to the September 29 deadline, which they claim has now restricted global access to their services.
“We believe Google’s decision is based on an overly broad interpretation of the U.S. restrictions, not supported by confirmation from the U.S. Department of Commerce,” Kaspersky said in a statement.
“The restrictions do not prohibit the sale or distribution of Kaspersky products outside the U.S. Kaspersky has communicated this understanding to the Department of Commerce and hopes to receive further guidance soon,” the company added.
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While the app remains unavailable on Google Play, Kaspersky has advised users to download it through alternative app stores, such as Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, and Xiaomi GetApps. Users can also install the app by downloading the .apk installation file from Kaspersky’s website.
The U.S. Department of Commerce formally banned Kaspersky antivirus software in the country as of June, impacting both sales and updates for customers.
In addition to the software ban, the Department of Commerce also added AO Kaspersky Lab, OOO Kaspersky Group (Russia), and Kaspersky Labs Limited (UK) to the Entity List, barring their operations within the U.S.
