One Of The Biggest Antivirus Companies Just Got Banned...

Summary

The video discusses the recent ban on Kaspersky Lab, a leading antivirus company, by the US Bureau of Industry and Security due to national security concerns. It raises questions about software freedom and privacy, highlighting the risks of invasive antivirus software that can potentially upload user files to external servers. The script also touches on the irony of the US government's stance on privacy while companies like Facebook and Google continue to collect user data. It concludes by questioning the necessity of antivirus software in the modern age, suggesting that Windows Defender and common sense are sufficient for most users.

Takeaways

• 🛑 The US Bureau of Industry and Security has banned Kaspersky Lab, a leading antivirus company, from selling its products in the United States due to national security concerns.
• 📚 Kaspersky Lab, a Russian multinational cybersecurity company, has been accused of posing an unacceptable risk to US national security and the safety of US persons.
• 💡 The ban is based on the potential for Kaspersky's antivirus software to subvert or sabotage the integrity and operation of information and communications technology in the US.
• 🌐 Kaspersky's antivirus software could upload files from a user's computer to its cloud server for analysis, raising privacy concerns about data storage and potential misuse.
• 📈 The ban follows a history of distrust, including an incident where Kaspersky's software allegedly facilitated the theft of NSA hacking tools by Russian hackers.
• 💰 The US government's decision to ban Kaspersky products may set a precedent for other countries to adopt similar 'America first' models in cybersecurity.
• 🚫 The ban is not limited to government use; it extends to all US persons and transactions, effectively prohibiting the resale or integration of Kaspersky products.
• 💻 The speaker suggests that the average user may not need to purchase antivirus software, as Windows Defender and common sense can provide sufficient protection.
• 💡 The video highlights the importance of considering the source and potential risks of any software installed on personal devices, especially those with invasive permissions.
• 🔒 The incident with Kaspersky raises questions about the trustworthiness of antivirus software and the privacy implications of allowing third-party access to one's data.
• 🌟 The speaker concludes that the ban on Kaspersky may be a sign of increasing government control over what software is allowed and emphasizes the need for personal cybersecurity awareness.

Q & A

Which antivirus company was banned from being sold in the United States according to the Bureau of Industry and Security?

Kaspersky Lab was banned from being sold in the United States by the Bureau of Industry and Security.

Why was Kaspersky Lab prohibited from engaging in transactions in the US?

Kaspersky Lab was prohibited due to posing an unacceptable risk to United States national security and the security and safety of US persons, as well as an undue risk of subversion or sabotage to the integrity and operation of information and communications in the US.

What is the concern regarding the use of foreign antivirus software in critical infrastructure?

The concern is that foreign antivirus software may have invasive permissions that could potentially upload files from a system to a foreign cloud server for analysis, which could compromise sensitive information.

What incident involving Kaspersky Lab and the NSA was mentioned in the script?

The script mentioned an incident where it was alleged that Russian hackers stole the NSA's cyber defense tools for the United States through Kaspersky Lab's antivirus software.

What action did the US government take regarding Kaspersky Lab software in federal systems prior to the ban?

Prior to the ban, the US government included a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that prohibited the use of Kaspersky Lab software in federal civilian and especially military systems.

What is the opinion of the speaker regarding the necessity of antivirus software in 2024?

The speaker believes that buying antivirus software is redundant and unnecessary, suggesting that using services like VirusTotal and relying on Windows Defender along with common sense are more effective.

What was the speaker's view on the introductory pricing of antivirus software?

The speaker found the introductory pricing of antivirus software, such as the example of $44 per month after a discount, to be excessive and off-putting.

Outlines

00:00

😲 Kaspersky Ban in the US: National Security Concerns

The video discusses the recent ban on Kaspersky Lab, a leading antivirus company, by the US Bureau of Industry and Security. The ban is due to concerns that Kaspersky's products and services pose an unacceptable risk to US national security and the safety of US persons. The Department of Commerce has prohibited transactions involving the provision of certain cybersecurity and antivirus products to US persons, citing a significant risk of subversion or sabotage to the integrity and operation of information and communications technology in the US. The video also touches on the broader implications of such a ban on freedom and the potential for similar actions in other countries.

05:02

🛡️ Antivirus Software and Privacy Concerns

This paragraph delves into the privacy issues surrounding antivirus software, particularly Kaspersky, which has been accused of collecting and selling user browsing data without consent. It references a case where a company was fined for such practices, highlighting the invasive permissions antivirus software often requires. The video also mentions a specific incident involving the NSA, where Kaspersky's software allegedly facilitated the theft of sensitive cybersecurity tools by Russian hackers. The speaker emphasizes the importance of caution when installing such software and the potential risks of file uploads to cloud servers for analysis.

10:04

🏛️ Government Control Over Software and Privacy

The speaker explores the implications of government control over software, especially in the context of the Kaspersky ban. They discuss the hypocrisy of the US government's stance on privacy while allowing domestic companies to engage in user surveillance. The video touches on the history of the ban, which began with the Trump administration and was further enforced by the Biden administration. The speaker also speculates on the future of software freedom, suggesting that an 'America first' model may become more prevalent, with governments dictating what software can be used within their borders.

15:07

🤔 The Relevance of Antivirus Software in Modern Times

In the final paragraph, the speaker questions the necessity of antivirus software in the current digital landscape. They argue that built-in solutions like Windows Defender, combined with common sense and ad blockers, are sufficient for most users. The video criticizes the invasive nature of antivirus software and the trust that users must place in these companies. The speaker concludes by suggesting that the US government's actions may signal a shift towards greater control over software usage and a potential decline in the use of traditional antivirus software.

Keywords

💡Kaspersky Lab

Kaspersky Lab is a Russian multinational cybersecurity company known for its antivirus software. It is central to the video's theme as the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security has banned transactions involving Kaspersky's cybersecurity and antivirus products and services within the United States, citing national security concerns.

💡Bureau of Industry and Security

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is aU.S. government agency that regulates the export of sensitive goods and technologies for national security reasons. In the video, BIS is mentioned as the authority that issued the prohibition against Kaspersky Lab, highlighting its role in safeguarding U.S. interests.

💡National Security

National security is the theme around which the video revolves, discussing the U.S. government's ban on Kaspersky Lab products due to the perceived risk they pose to the country's security. The script mentions that Kaspersky's products pose 'an unacceptable risk to United States national security' and the safety of U.S. persons.

💡Antivirus Software

Antivirus software is a key concept in the video, referring to programs designed to detect, prevent, and remove malicious software. The script discusses the ban on Kaspersky's antivirus software in the U.S. and raises questions about the necessity and trustworthiness of such software.

💡Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting networks, programs, and sensitive information from digital attacks. The video discusses Kaspersky Lab as a major player in the cybersecurity industry and the implications of its ban on the broader cybersecurity landscape in the U.S.

💡Russian Multinational

The term 'Russian multinational' refers to a large corporation, like Kaspersky Lab, that operates globally and is headquartered in Russia. The video script uses this term to highlight the geopolitical context of the ban, suggesting that the company's Russian origins played a role in the U.S. government's decision.

💡Privacy

Privacy is a significant concept in the video, as it relates to concerns about how antivirus software can potentially access and handle personal data. The script mentions an FTC case against an antivirus company for selling consumer browsing data, which raises questions about privacy violations.

💡False Positives

False positives occur when antivirus software incorrectly identifies a legitimate file or process as malicious. The video script uses this term to discuss the limitations and potential inaccuracies of antivirus software, suggesting that they can sometimes hinder legitimate activities.

💡Rootkit

A rootkit is a type of malicious software that grants administrative access to a computer while remaining undetected. The video script uses the term 'rootkit' metaphorically to express concern about the invasive permissions that antivirus software requires, drawing a parallel between the two in terms of system access.

💡Windows Defender

Windows Defender is a pre-installed antivirus software on Windows operating systems. The video script mentions it as a preferable alternative to third-party antivirus software, suggesting that it may be more reliable and less invasive.

💡Ad Blocker

An ad blocker is a software or browser extension that prevents ads from appearing on web pages. The video script recommends using an ad blocker as a simple and effective way to protect against online threats, emphasizing its role in enhancing online safety.

Highlights

Kaspersky Lab, one of the world's largest antivirus companies, has been banned in the United States by the Bureau of Industry and Security.

The ban is due to the belief that Kaspersky's products pose an unacceptable risk to US national security and the safety of US persons.

Transactions involving the provision of Kaspersky's cybersecurity and antivirus products and services to US persons are prohibited.

Kaspersky is a Russian multinational cybersecurity company, which may be a factor in the ban due to recent political tensions.

The ban includes both the standard and premium versions of Kaspersky's antivirus software.

Other antivirus options are available, but the ban raises concerns about software freedom and the ability to choose.

The speaker expresses skepticism about the necessity of antivirus software, suggesting redundancy and potential privacy risks.

Kaspersky was fined $16.5 million by the FTC for privacy violations, including selling consumer browsing data.

The ban may be related to an incident where Kaspersky's software allegedly facilitated the theft of NSA hacking tools by Russian hackers.

The US government's stance on software bans contrasts with the surveillance practices of American tech companies.

The ban extends to all civilians, not just government and military systems, affecting the average person's software choices.

The speaker predicts a future where governments increasingly control what software is allowed, reflecting a loss of freedom.

The speaker recommends using Windows Defender and common sense as alternatives to traditional antivirus software.

Ad blockers are suggested as a simple and effective tool to prevent many online threats.

The ban on Kaspersky reflects a broader trend of governments regulating software to protect national interests.

The speaker concludes that full-blown antivirus software may be outdated, and that simpler solutions could be more effective.

Transcripts

hello guys and gals me mudahar and what

have I told you one of the largest

antiviruses in the world just got banned

from you Americans buying it in your

country ladies and gentlemen to rip the

bandaid off uh this is an actual Bureau

of industry and security posting caspers

Ski Lab prohibition now you might be

like whoaa what is caspers Ski Lab muda

well this is Casper ski this is one of

the oldest antivirus companies out there

one of the oldest computer security

companies and uh yeah they sell

antivirus software or at least they used

to sell it in the states at least now

you can buy the standard version plus

and premium but we'll get into it in

just a little bit to give you an idea

reading into this situation has been

absolutely baffling because you know

last time we talked about actual

software being banned it was something

like Tik Tok right like when the Tik Tok

ban happened one of the things that I

said is I am never a fan of anything

getting banned in a country or part of

the world that is supposed to be free

right because if this happens in the

United States there's a chance it can

easily happen in Canada and a lot of

places and as somebody that absolutely

believes in freedoms and the ability to

make your own choices when it comes to

computer software or really anything you

should be allowed to install whatever it

is that you want okay so looking into

this right here they said to protect

donation the Department of Commerce has

issued a final determination prohibiting

C aspers ski and its affiliate

subsidiaries and parent companies from

engaging in transactions involving the

provision of certain cyber Security and

Antivirus products and services to us

persons in accordance with this final

determination any resale of their

antivirus software integration or

licensing for the purpose of resale or

integration into other products is

prohibited in the United States or by us

persons Casper's product and services

pose an unacceptable risk to United

States national security and the

security and safety of us persons and an

undue risk of subversion of or sabotage

to the integrity and operation of

information and Communications in the

United States in particular there is a

significant risk of harm to the

integrity and operation of the icts and

icts supply chain in the US so this

might sound like flashy words and the

whole red strip of actual stuff they

used is obviously designed to hammer it

in that you shouldn't be using this

organization software now kasperski is a

Russian multinational cyber security

company and you might be like well I get

it now it's a Russian software obviously

Americans aren't taken too kindly to it

now the thing about it is is uh you know

when you're talking about you know this

company we've used some of their

findings and I've have actually used

some of their software when it comes to

analyzing things for virus

investigations in fact if anything

they're a pretty massive company it's

just that they're headquartered in

Russia and given recent political

situations I really feel like that is

the actual Tipping Point for what is

Banning one of the largest anti virus

providers out there now of course it

doesn't mean you can't buy other

antiviruses right there's plenty of

other options like maffy God Rest his

soul you can buy award-winning antivirus

software for 44 buckaroos a month which

by the way can I just start off by

saying this is always disgusting to me I

get that it's introductory pricing for

new customers but there's no way $120

you're just aing off over half of the

price even for new people to jump in so

of course if you look at it tons of

these softwares provide like all these

extra features it's not just virus

scanning like the good old days okay

they're giving you [ __ ] like uh

ransomware coverages or straight up

Insurance lost wallet support social

privacy manager and personal data

cleanup where if your information is

being sold by data Brokers they jump in

for you to prevent that kind of [ __ ] so

if you go to caspers Sky right they're

actually selling you these options where

it's like hey boys every single package

we have 61% off you know after four or

five years of looking into this stuff

for cyber security videos what's insane

about it is they always [ __ ] have a

sale they're always 60% off but that

being said these are firste prices I'm

not here to talk about prices for

antivirus software what I will say for

the the record is as I've discussed

before I don't use any antivirus

software I think buying this kind of

stuff is honestly a redundancy if you

need to check any file usually I think

things like virus total are great where

you can just drop any file that you find

a little sus and just effectively see

through all of the actual possible

antivirus engines if a file is clean or

not or if there's a whole bunch of false

positives buying an antivirus in 2024 is

like paying a company to install

effective a big ass root kit on your

system and you actually trusting that

company so one of the reasons why this

has been banned is not just because it

is Russian multinational software okay

most government agencies most critical

infrastructure doesn't have foreign

software installed in general in regard

to something this deep and invasive when

you install an antivirus software onto

your system it is given some of the most

invasive permissions possible because

its entire job like anti-che is to

detect some of the most invasive scary

viruses that hit your system and each

antivirus kind of you know is good and

bad you know there's no perfect solution

but generally kasperski from my

understanding and my usage has always

been a relatively decent software now if

you go to the paid antivirus software

then you're pretty much [ __ ] you know

you might have heard a while back not a

while back this was literally February

of this year a vast antivirus was

actually fined $16.5 million for privacy

software that actually sold your

browsing data you might be like whoa

whoa is that the exact opposite we'll

add the court case right here for aast

right from the FTC where they said in

the violation of the FTC act unfair

collection retention and sale of

consumers browsing information so as I

described in paragraph 710 813 through

the avas software respondents collect Ed

consumers browsing info stored that info

in granular form indefinitely and then

sold that information in granular form

to third parties without adequate notice

and without consumer content these

practices caused are are likely to cause

substantial injury to Consumers uh that

is not outweighed by countervailing

benefits to consumers or competition and

it's not reasonably avoidable by

consumers themselves so yeah imagine

being sold like privacy tools and then

you find out oh [ __ ] the company

allegedly just sold your stuff anyways

like imagine them putting advertising

like this up there on their page and

saying anti-tracking protects your

privacy by preventing websites ad

companies and other services from

tracking your activity and then

allegedly just selling it off end MK to

someone else really scummy Behavior you

know when you look at the description

for their mobile software and they're

like hold on pal you can protect

yourself against viruses and popups get

alerted when you install spyware and

adware

as they're the [ __ ] spyware usually

when you install anything free you're

the product okay and in this situation

it seems you were the product allegedly

of course this is an FTC complaint after

all now even beyond all of this when

you're paying for Casper Sky the whole

point is you're installing invasive

software on your system so one of the

scary parts about this is with any

antivirus software there is a chance

that if it detects anything that it

finds suspicious it may upload files

from your computer to its Cloud Server

for analysis now the thing about

uploading your files to somebody else's

hard drive is you have no actual idea if

that file is going to get deleted even

if they write in an entire privacy

policy that yeah we'll delete your file

after so on and so forth who's to say

you can trust them it's one of the

reasons why I don't use cloud service

providers I actually have my own

personal cloud server in my basement

where I upload and just keep my file

stored if anybody needs to get something

for me I upload it to a server in my

basement they download it through my

internet connection it is that simple so

again going to this uh whole situation

right here one of the things that I was

looking into was a story of how the NSA

actually had some of its uh you know

hacking tools possibly stolen by

kasperski so according to the Wall

Street Journal Pro this is way back in

2017 it was alleged that Russian hackers

actually stole the nsa's you know entire

data and proceed procedure on Cyber

defense for the United States now while

this is hidden behind a pay wall you

know just researching a little bit more

we'll probably take you to an entire

situation where what had happened was

they described how the NSA is this group

in the United States that you know

attacks foreign networks I mean that is

what it is they're effectively the

United States biggest keyboard Warriors

next to the FBI's you know cybercom unit

so inside this situation what had

actually happened was a contractor was a

apparently using caspers Sky software on

their system and what had happened was

the guy took his work home which already

violated the nsa's rules by the way and

hackers used the caspers sky software to

grab files from a system so it was kind

of alleged that you know they were

running like they they had NSA malware

stored on their system so when

kaspersky's you know antivirus tool was

scanning the system and it found that

specific piece of software had some

pretty nasty heris meaning

characteristics of malware it uploaded

that to a Cloud Server belonging to

kasperski and apparently Russian hackers

or maybe the state grabbed that

information from kasperski and basically

grabbed the nsa's scary toolkit now

obviously if that is true which there is

no real [ __ ] confirmation you pretty

much have to take the US government at

their word for it that is scary okay

that's literally millions maybe billions

of dollars of actual defense research

that has basically been yed by a foreign

country and the US government can't

can't do [ __ ] about it now like I said

most big organizations most critical

organizations won't ever install

software from a foreign country you're

never going to find Chinese antivirus

software Indian antivirus software

Iranian antivirus software Russian

antivir software in like the United

States government okay it's just never

going to happen you know maybe in

certain cases like this allegedly it

could happen but it's it's in one of

those scenarios where like obviously I

think the government this would make

sense if they banned this or just made

an outline ban for the government that

would make a lot of sense but honestly

that kind of stuff has already happened

anyways I think it's wild that now in

order to protect the average person

they've actually banned all of the

civilians from buying caspers Sky stuff

now on the surface I think it's a little

hypocritical that one of the biggest

governments in the world that has entire

tech companies like Facebook for

instance literally spy on users Google

for instance spy on users some of the

most tracking that exists on the

internet period comes from American

companies and they're the ones you know

at least from the president's

perspective putting on the Big Show of

hey we're going to protect you guys

nobody is allowed to spy on you unless

it's us that's really what it all kind

of comes down to it's all what it boils

up to now obviously this didn't start

with even Biden this started again all

the way back even with Trump for

instance when he signed the National

Defense authorization act which actually

put a ban on this software for federal

civilian and especially those milit

military systems so this is more so

centered around people who are obviously

the average civilian now you might be

like well does this mean that computers

are a little less safe in the country no

I don't think you losing one antivirus

vendor means a lot but what I do find

scary is how the government can

basically decide what software is

effectively allowed in and out of the

country through the financial channels

it has you know it is actually a loss of

freedom for you not to install whatever

you want on your system and I think it

really is a sign of what the next 5 10

years is going to look like I think when

it comes to social media services and

programs like this the government is

basically going to have like this

America first model and most countries

in the world I think are going to do

this now I don't really have an issue

personally in one way when the United

States does this because a lot of other

countries do the same thing back to us

right like for instance in China you

can't even access a lot of their

computers either right um and Russia you

know despite being one of the most I

guess slightly more democratic than they

used to you know back during the Cold

War I would still say that the you know

uh you know tinge of tyranny is still

pretty strong out there too you know at

least in the Western World we have

something known as the rule of law and I

guess that veneer is kept up far better

than the other big superpowers in the

world what is ultimately really scary to

me though is the amount of control that

the government is taking and basically

telling you what you can and cannot do

with your systems so yeah one of the

largest antivirus vendors got banned But

ultimately at the end of the day to to

to to sort of divert to another you know

big overarching topic that I have I

don't understand why somebody in this

modern day and age still needs to buy

antivirus software like this I would

wager you probably shouldn't be wasting

any of your money on rootkit antivirus

stuff like this that runs so invasively

especially if you're a Windows user and

Windows Defender alone is probably far

better than anything else on average

here when we do virus investigation

videos you know how annoying Windows

Defender is at protecting our computers

from actually investigating malware you

know you turn off their realtime

protection just for a minute it flips

right the [ __ ] back on it does not care

so in general I really don't think

anybody should be paying for these

things or really going out of their way

to download antivirus software

especially when you do have to put in a

lot of trust to Casper ski or really any

organization when you install this level

of software on your system the best

actual safe tip that I can give you is

Windows Defender plus this amazing

amazing kit called common sense and you

know what maybe ad block especially if

you get something like U block Origins

running the internet can be a dangerous

place full of ads and scams and at least

if you can get rid of them I think 90%

of people getting hacked would probably

be cured if they just ran a simple ad

blocker or something maybe Network wide

ad blocking maybe a Chrome extension or

something that just prevents you from

clicking a shady Link in the first place

but a full-blown antivirus software

that's a whole thing of the past and

honestly it might never come back the US

government's cracking down and they're

telling you if you want to spy on them

you better be an American company we can

hit up anytime ladies and gentlemen this

is me mudahar and I am out