Google Removes Kaspersky's Security Apps Amid US Sanctions

Google has officially removed Russian multinational cybersecurity company Kaspersky's Android antivirus apps from the Play Store, in a setback for the Russian cybersecurity company. The removal took place over the weekend, also included the disabling and removal of Kaspersky's developer accounts.

A Google spokesperson confirmed the removal and was quoted as saying by Tech Radar: "The US 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."

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Kaspersky Acknowledges Removal From Play Store

Moscow-based Kaspersky acknowledged the development on its official forums and said: "The downloads and updates of Kaspersky products are temporarily unavailable on the Google Play store." 

The company stated it is investigating the issue and seeking solutions to restore availability.

"The downloads and updates of Kaspersky products are temporarily unavailable on the Google Play store. Kaspersky is currently investigating the circumstances behind the issue and exploring potential solutions to ensure that users of its products can continue downloading and updating their applications from Google Play. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

"While we are working to restore the availability of Kaspersky solutions on Google Play, users can continue downloading and updating Kaspersky products from other mobile stores, including Galaxy Store, Huawei AppGallery, Xiaomi GetApps and others. The range of available Kaspersky products for Android is the same in each store," Kaspersky wrote in a post on its official forum.

This development comes in the wake of the escalating challenges for Kaspersky amid US sanctions over national security concerns. The US government has expressed concerns about potential manipulation of Kaspersky software by the Russian government to access sensitive information and control computers.

US Ban On Russian Antivirus Firm Kaspersky

Earlier this year, Kaspersky was added to the US Entity List of foreign entities deemed national security concerns. A a ban was implemented on Kaspersky product sales effective July 20, 2024, with software updates ceasing September 29. The company responded by offering free security products and safety guidance to customers for six months.

Meanwhile, in September 2024, US customers reported their Kaspersky antivirus software was replaced with a new solution called UltraAV.