Eugene Kaspersky, co-founder of the Russian security company Kaspersky, recently announced that his company has filed lawsuits against Microsoft to the European Commission and the German Federal Cartel Office. To mention that he had done the same at the end of 2016 to the FAS Antimonopoly Service).
Kaspersky claims that Microsoft uses unfair tactics to force them users να έχουν μόνο το Windows Defender, το προεπιλεγμένο antivirus των Windows 10. Σε σημερινή δημοσίευση στο blog του, ο Kaspersky κατηγορεί το Redmond ότι απενεργοποιεί antivirus τρίτων κατά την αναβάθμιση σε Windows 10, χρησιμοποιώντας τη δεσπόζουσα θέση της για να προωθήσει το δικό της προϊόν ασφαλείας.
"Microsoft antivirus works on all versions of Windows 10 for home users: it is impossible to turn it off completely, and it is impossible to delete it. Until recently, no one asked you if you needed it or not. "There was a time when, even if you used a different security solution, Microsoft AV was running periodically," says Kaspersky.
Microsoft, according to Kaspersky, does so mainly because its protection software has failed to remain competitive and because third-party security products are much more powerful, and continues accusing the company of using its anti-virus product only because it is for a market driven by others.
"This restriction only applies to antiviruses - with which Microsoft has been trying to compete (and not doing very well) for years. But in previous (before 10) versions of Windows there were no such special measures. So, as it turns out, after years of failure (in competition with other antivirus), Microsoft has resorted to the alternative tactics we know.
Microsoft not only removes Windows third-party protection products when upgrading but does not give suppliers enough time to prepare their security software for new versions of Windows. And that's one of the reasons that is finally blocked when upgrading is done, says Kaspersky.
Finally, Microsoft appeals to support fair and healthy competition, while calling on other security providers to participate in this effort and file anti-monopoly proceedings against the company.
Microsoft has already published a statement stating that it does not violate international competition rules and is willing to work with the antitrust agencies to address all these claims.
