Kaspersky wins court case
US court supports blocking of potentially harmful online programs
In a precedent-setting case for the Internet security industry, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that Kaspersky Lab is entitled to immunity under the safe harbour provision of the Communications Decency Act.
This is from a suit claiming that its software interfered with the use of downloadable programs by customers of Zango.
The court ruled that Kaspersky Lab, which classified online media company Zango’s software as malware and protected users from it accordingly, could not be held liable for any actions it took to manufacture and distribute the technical means to restrict Zango software’s access to others.
Zango sued Kaspersky Lab to force the company to reclassify Zango’s programs as nonthreatening and to prevent Kaspersky Lab’s security software from blocking Zango’s potentially undesirable programs.
The court decision stated: “Kaspersky contends that Zango’s software is adware, and possibly spyware. Spyware, which is often installed on a computer without the user’s knowledge or consent, covertly monitors the user’s activities and exposes the user to the risk that his or her passwords and confidential information may be stolen. As its software qualifies, Kaspersky is entitled to Good Samaritan immunity.”
The ruling protects a consumer’s choice to determine what information and software is allowed on their computing systems, and protects the ability of anti-malware vendors to identify and label software programs that may be potentially unwanted and harmful to computer users.