Enigma Software Group Files Suit Against Malwarebytes

CLEARWATER, FL, October 7, 2016 − Enigma Software Group USA, LLC (ESG) filed a complaint in federal court in New York today against competing anti-malware provider Malwarebytes Inc. The complaint, available here, alleges false advertising, unfair competition, and tortious interference with contractual relations.

The complaint alleges that Malwarebytes this week began improperly detecting and reporting to consumers that ESG's anti-malware product SpyHunter® and ESG's registry cleaner product RegHunter® were Potentially Unwanted Programs. ESG alleges that Malwarebytes did so for anticompetitive motives, including to profit by unfairly diverting customers away from SpyHunter to Malwarebytes products and to attempt to apply pressure on ESG in the pending litigation ESG filed against Bleeping Computer, which is believed to be one of Malwarebytes largest affiliates. To ESG's knowledge, no other major anti-malware product flags SpyHunter® or RegHunter® as Potentially Unwanted Programs. ESG asserts in its complaint that Malwarebytes is materially misleading consumers by asserting that SpyHunter® and RegHunter® are malicious and a threat, and ESG asserts that this harms consumers by inducing them to buy Malwarebytes products and avoid ESG products under false pretenses.

One effect of Malwarebytes detection and reporting of SpyHunter® and RegHunter® as Potentially Unwanted Programs is that ESG customers who have paid for these products may be blocked by Malwarebytes from installing and using them.

Ryan Gerding, spokesman for ESG, said of the matter, "ESG filed suit against Malwarebytes to stop its blatantly unlawful and anticompetitive behavior. Over its eight year history, Malwarebytes has never previously flagged SpyHunter® or RegHunter®, and the only thing that is different today is that ESG has a lawsuit pending against Bleeping Computer, a Malwarebytes affiliate. Incidentally, Malwarebytes and/or its CEO has provided money to Bleeping Computer to fight that lawsuit."

Mr. Gerding continued, "Our customers and prospective customers deserve to know that SpyHunter® and RegHunter® are still the outstanding products they have come to expect. ESG customers who experience any difficulties as a result of Malwarebytes should visit ESG's Customer Support Center and notify ESG of the problem."

About Enigma Software Group USA, LLC

Enigma Software Group USA, LLC is a privately held international systems integrator and developer of PC security software, with offices in the United States and the European Union. The company's specialties are the development of PC security software, online security analysis, adaptive threat assessment, and detection of PC security threats, as well as malware custom fixes for its millions of subscribers worldwide. ESG is best known for SpyHunter®, its anti-malware software product

Enigma Software Group USA, LLC
2803 Gulf to Bay Blvd.
Suite #446
Clearwater, FL 33759
USA

This release was published on openPR.