Kaspersky Withdraws Antitrust Complaint Against Microsoft And Windows 10

A well known computer security company is easing back on its threat to file a complaint on Microsoft over anti-competitive concerns, though it is not completely off the table. That company is Russia's Kaspersky Lab, and for the time being it is content with Microsoft's ongoing efforts to be more inclusive of third-party antivirus programs for Windows 10 that compete with the OS's built-in Defender software.

Kaspersky's frustration boiled over into a lengthy blog post last year written by Kaspersky founder and CEO Eugene Kaspersky. Titled "That's It. I've Had Enough!," the blog laid out Kaspersky's grievances with Windows 10 and its handling of third-party AV programs.

"When you upgrade to Windows 10, Microsoft automatically and without any warning deactivates all ‘incompatible’ security software and in its place installs… you guessed it—its own Defender antivirus. But what did it expect when independent developers were given all of one week before the release of the new version of the OS to make their software compatible?," Kaspersky laments. "Even if software did manage to be compatible according to the initial check before the upgrade, weird things tended to happen and Defender would still take over."


His list of complaints were long, though not his alone—Eugene claimed that his pain was felt throughout the AV industry and voiced in inner circles, but that most other outfits were too afraid to speak publicly. Such is the power that Microsoft wields, and Eugene was ready to file an official complaint with antitrust regulators.

And now?

"They are listening to us and they made a few changes. It's an ongoing process," Eugene told Reuters at the Hannover Messe industrial trade fair. "Of course if Microsoft agrees to all our requests we will not file it."

Eugene's plan is to keep the lines of communication with Microsoft open and to continue working with the company towards changes that would make Windows 10 more accepting of third-party AV programs. He did not elaborate on what specific changes he would like to see, saying only that he would decide in a few months whether or not to press forward with an antitrust complaint.