Kaspersky files antitrust complaints against Microsoft in Europe

[June 06, 2017]  (Reuters) - Russian security software maker Kaspersky Lab has filed antitrust complaints against Microsoft with the European Commission and the German federal cartel office, it said in a statement on Tuesday.

An employee works near screens in the virus lab at the headquarters of Russian cyber security company Kaspersky Labs in Moscow July 29, 2013. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Kaspersky contends that Microsoft is abusing its market dominance to crowd out independent anti-virus software makers, pushing Windows 10 users toward its own Windows Defender software, and creating obstacles to others entering the market.

"These actions by Microsoft lead to a lower level of protection for users, a limitation on their right to choose, and financial losses both for users and security solutions manufacturers," Kaspersky said.

The European Commission said it had received Kaspersky's complaint without giving further details.

Microsoft was not available for immediate comment.

(Reporting by Georgina Prodhan in London, Robert-Jan Bartunek in Brussels and Jim Finkle in Toronto; editing by Alistair Smout and Jason Neely)

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