Last November, David Kaspersky of cyber security suite makers Kaspersky Labs threw down the gauntlet so to speak against Microsoft. The “Goliath” of cyber security, as he called them in his blog post, is accused of making the world safer for cyber criminals by forcing out competition. The center of this anti-competitive behavior? Windows Defender.
It’s no secret that the tech giant is indeed one of the larger names when it comes to security. Microsoft has even been known to target making software for the government, gaining access beyond any other security provider at this point in time. Kaspersky’s requests for Microsoft to cease their ‘bullying’ of sorts led to David to complain to EU and Russian legislation.
Now, Kaspersky has announced that the involvement of government might not be necessary after all. As Reuters reports, Microsoft seems to be intending to work with David’s demands for the time being.
“They are listening to us and they made a few changes. It’s an ongoing process,” he told Reuters on the sidelines of the Hannover Messe industrial trade fair. “Of course if Microsoft agrees to all our requests we will not file it.”
As it stands, Kaspersky didn’t disclose any information about what requests are being met or reveal any further information. Before, his claim stated that he wanted the following action taken:
To oblige Microsoft (i) to provide new versions and updates of Windows to independent developers in good time so they can maintain compatibility of their software to Windows; (ii) explicitly inform the user of the presence of incompatible software before upgrading Windows and recommend the user to install a compatible version of the software after the upgrade; (iii) always explicitly ask the user for his/her approval to enable Windows Defender.
Whether it’s these or newly made demands that Kaspersky feels Microsoft will oblige, we have yet to see. No comment has been made by either Microsoft nor the European Commission at this time.
