Kaspersky Antivirus

Kaspersky is one of the best-recognized names in the antivirus business. The brand proclaims it’s the “most tested, most awarded” antivirus program out there. Despite some recent scandals, Kaspersky remains one of the most trusted brands in malware.

How does the top-tier brand fare in 2019? It has won some awards and been at the center of a geopolitical controversy. But how does the malware protection compare against the competition? If you are considering buying Kaspersky antivirus in 2019, read below to learn about the pros and the cons:

Kaspersky Antivirus at a Glance

Kaspersky is a Russian-based company that offers malware protection for both consumers and companies. Kaspersky says it has ranked first place 73 times out of 88 independent malware protection tests conducted in 2018. The company currently serves over 400 million users and over 270,000 enterprises.

Kaspersky offers an array of security tools ranging from secured clouds to VPNs. It currently has 3 major antivirus packages on offer for consumers. Here’s a brief description of each:

• Internet Security—The cheapest package for personal users on offer. It offers protection for PCs, Macs, and Android smartphones. Protection includes antivirus guard, encrypted online transactions, identity protection, and a VPN.
• Total Security—Covers all the devices’ Internet Security does plus iOS. It has all the features Internet Security offers plus a password manager.
• Security Cloud—Multi-device protection for Windows, Android, and iOS under a single account. It has all the features of Total Security plus a data leaks checker and an app permissions manager.

The best and most used out of the three is the Total Security package. It offers multi-device protection, including those for iOS, and all the essential features you need. The Security Cloud has some additional features but its main gimmick is what Kaspersky calls use of “adaptive technologies.” It doesn’t offer anything remarkable to justify the extra cost over Total Security.

You can protect up to 5 devices maximum per package. However, the subscription price increases with each device you add.

The Pros

Here are the main benefits that Kaspersky antivirus programs offer across the board:

Reliable Antivirus Protection

As Kaspersky claims, their main antivirus tool consistently ranks in the top tier of performance issues. Indeed, independent tests have verified the reliability of Kaspersky’s malware protection features. You can definitely browse the web without any worries when Kaspersky is installed. It offers excellent malware protection against all common threats and even rare ones like webcam hijackings. Some independent tests easily give Kaspersky AAA ratings.

Easy on the Operating System

Regardless of the device that Kaspersky runs a scan on, it doesn’t slow down the operating system. Compared to notorious examples like MacAfee, Kaspersky is very easy on the system. Operation execution times remain roughly the same with Kaspersky running, according to independent tests.

Encrypted Browser for Transactions

Worried about credit card theft? All Kaspersky personal packages come with a special encrypted browser you can exclusively use for online transactions. The appeal here is that the browser has additional encryption facilities for online shopping. However, the feature is only available for PCs and Macs.

All-in-One User Suite

Kaspersky offers a very user-friendly application interface for managing all the features offered with the antivirus package. It’s easy enough to scan and schedule future checkups. But it goes a bit further. You can use the Kaspersky suite to protect your browser as well. For example, you can delete problem extensions from the Kaspersky suite without even having to open the browser.

VPN

Kaspersky offers its own antivirus protected VPN. It can be a useful tool when browsing online, though not as a primary VPN. The VPN automatically switches on when Kaspersky detects that your device is on public Wifi. You will get 200MB free per day per device. The cap is raised to 500MB for the Security Cloud package.

Check out our VPN Reviews here

The Cons

These are the downsides of Kaspersky antivirus suites that you should know about:

Operating System Specific

Some Kaspersky packages are limited to certain operating systems. For example, if you buy the Antivirus bundle, you can only use it on Windows PCs. Only the Total Security package works on PCs, Macs, iOS, and Android. Even so, Linux systems are completely left out. Some features, like protecting online transactions, are limited to PCs and Macs.

So if you own a PC and an iPhone, for example, Kaspersky might not be the choice for you to protect all your devices. However, if you are mainly a PC user, Kaspersky is wonderfully Windows-friendly.

Multi-Device Support is Pricey

Even the priciest Kaspersky package supports only up to 5 devices. The overall price of the subscription increases with each device you add. This is a major disadvantage considering there are competitors who offer coverage for a dozen or more devices, especially for high-priced packages.

U.S. Government Warnings

In 2017, the U.S. government effectively banned Kaspersky antivirus software from all government computers. The Department of Homeland Security issued a warning that Moscow-based Kaspersky had ties to Russian intelligence agencies. Specifically, the U.S. accused Russia of using Kaspersky to steal confidential official documents, particularly from the N.S.A. Soon after, Twitter banned Kaspersky from its platform too.

Kaspersky, for its part, has defended its neutrality. The company subsequently sued the U.S. government for “tarnishing” its reputation (the lawsuits were dismissed later). The company then claimed to have shifted its core operations to Switzerland, where a third-party would oversee its servers.

Regardless, Kaspersky has yet to recover from the Russian scandal. If you are an American user, you might want to heed warnings from Homeland Security. To be sure, there’s no substantial evidence that Kaspersky collaborated with Russian intelligence. Unfortunately for the brand, there’s no substantive evidence against this either.

Could Kaspersky Antivirus Meet Your Needs?

Kaspersky offers airtight (hacker-tight almost?) malware protection in 2019. Its primary antivirus feature continues to be highly rated.

However, there are some downsides as well. Unlike most other brands, Kaspersky doesn’t balance its features well across the packages on offer. The differences between each package are quite minimal, while the price remains high. You will simply have to pay more for each package to protect multiple devices.

Then there are the warnings against Kaspersky from the U.S. government. It is concerning, though personal users have not accused Kaspersky of data theft so far. This may put off some users, while others might not care. It will depend on your personal opinion when it comes to political matters.

Regardless of the issues it has faced in recent times, Kaspersky undoubtedly offers one of the best antivirus protection tools in the market right now. That alone could be the deciding factor on whether to buy or not.