Kaspersky Internet Security Safe

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Usingthe same award-winning antivirus protection trusted and loved by over 400 million users, our new plans are available in a range of device / year options and are cross-OS compatible. Learn more about their advanced privacy and identity features here.

Kaspersky Standard, Kaspersky Plus, and Kaspersky Premium combine the latest cybersecurity technology to offer more comprehensive protection and an even better user experience. You can learn more here.

Internet security refers to the practice of protecting computer networks, devices, programs and data against unauthorized access, theft, damage or any other attacks that can compromise their integrity, confidentiality or availability. This also includes protecting users' privacy and blocking malware, viruses, spyware, phishing, and other cyber threats. Internet security measures are important not only to keep your devices and data safe, but also to maintain the security of your wider network and help prevent the spread of any malicious content. Adopting safe online habits and keeping relevant software updated are also essential components of internet security.

The top online threats include malware, phishing scams, ransomware, and hacking attempts. Malicious software can compromise your device and steal your sensitive data, while phishing scams trick you into giving away your personal information. Ransomware can hold your data and device hostage until a ransom is paid, and hackers can gain unauthorized access to your device and cause significant damage.

To try to reduce risk of Russian cyberattacks, the US government has banned the sale of and updates to software developed by cybersecurity company Kaspersky Labs. In its statement, the US cited concerns that the privileged access security software uses to protect computer systems could be exploited to steal sensitive information, install malware, and more.

As part of this prohibition, Kaspersky will no longer be allowed to provide US customers with signature or code-base cybersecurity updates after September 29, 2024. That means that the protection provided to US customers who elect to keep using Kaspersky will deteriorate over time.

Along with the US, government agencies in Germany, Italy, Lithuania, and elsewhere have also warned consumers and operators of critical infrastructure about the potential security risks of using Kaspersky software.

Similar to the United States, Lithuania banned Kaspersky on sensitive computers back in 2017. Computers and networks deemed critical by the Lithuanian government include those that protect government information such as financial, transportation, and energy data. The Lithuanian ban extends to computers and networks of private companies, if they are holding similarly sensitive data.

After announcements from the US and UK governments, the Dutch government carried out their own independent risk analysis of Kaspersky. While the results (downloadable here in Dutch) showed that there were no known cases of misuse in the country, the risk was deemed too significant to ignore, leading the Dutch government to phase-out Kaspersky products as a precaution.

Kaspersky Internet Security is consumer cybersecurity software developed by Kaspersky, whose headquarters are in Moscow, Russia. Kaspersky Internet Security aims to remove viruses and protect against other threats to consumer devices.

While Kaspersky does offer free trials of its premium products, it doesn't offer comprehensive, free security software. Premium Kaspersky products (such as Kaspersky Total Security and Kaspersky Internet Security) are available with yearly subscriptions for a specified number of devices.

While no allegations have been publicly proved, many governments have warned against using Kaspersky products, or even banned their use, especially on systems operating critical infrastructure. Whether or not you should trust Kaspersky depends on how justifiable you think the government warnings are.

The potential security risks associated with using Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security are just that: potential risks. According to Kaspersky, the accusations are merely speculations without technical or objective support, and the company is open to addressing any concerns.

With the situation deteriorating, Avast Threat Labs observed a noticeable spike in phishing attacks aimed at Ukrainian interests. The attacks targeted communication infrastructure, internet service providers, and other community services. Our security experts immediately analyzed the threat and offered clear advice on how to stay safe.

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But not all products are recommended, and one of those is Kaspersky. This formerly popular antivirus has garnered attention since 2017 when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) named it a threat to national security because of its ties to Russia. (Kaspersky disagrees.[1])

Kaspersky has a clean, user-friendly interface and relatively straightforward controls. The PC version has many more features than the Mac version, and PC users will find more offerings with Kaspersky.

For both PC and Mac users, Kaspersky boasts some impressive features. The web plugin reports on blocked trackers. It also provides a separate keyboard to avoid keylogging and has a section specifically for financial transactions. The device protection on your actual machine has a clean, easy-to-use interface.

The scan features are easy to use and provide the information from the scans in a clean and understandable format. The initial full scan did take nearly 30 minutes, but the same full scan we ran the next day only took 18 minutes. Neither scan interfered with the functionality of our MacBook. It was easy to continue using our device while the scan ran in the background.

There was no option in the on-site chatbox to ask about a firewall, so we called the number provided. At 6 p.m. PST on a weekday evening, it took less than 2 minutes to reach a live representative who, after some research, informed us there is no firewall for Mac built into the Kaspersky product.

As you navigate the internet, there are real-time scanners looking at the web traffic crossing your machine. This is the best way for Kaspersky to pick up any malware or malicious code that may be trying to steal your information.

Part of the browser extension for Kaspersky is dedicated to financial security. The Safe Money feature from Kaspersky is meant to guard your data while visiting websites that collect and use financial information, like your mobile bank site or an online retailer.

The URL advisor is supposed to see if a link is safe before you click it. This feature seems particularly helpful, especially since phishing emails and links are some of the most prevalent methods for hackers today.

The on-screen keyboard was one of the only features we found that worked quickly and without prompting. Several times while exploring the internet with the Kaspersky extension turned on, the on-screen keyboard popped up.

This is actually a great feature. Keyloggers are hackers that use man-in-the-middle attacks to steal login credentials. Having an on-screen keyboard can circumvent this attempt and add an extra layer of security to browsing sessions.

AV-TEST puts all products through rigorous testing and is the most trusted source for independent testing for security products. Kaspersky regularly scores perfect or near perfect with each of its offerings when it comes to protection.

The only features that really worked for us were the scan, website tracking, and on-screen keyboard. We found the scan feature to be the most user-friendly. It was also the only portion of the product that worked completely and without an inconvenience to our experience. The dashboard in the app is also clean and is easy to manage.

Every other part of our Kaspersky for macOS experience was frustrating and took much longer than it should have. Searching the site for answers, finding the right chatbox prompt, and navigating the support forum were all time-consuming.

There are other products out there that cost similar amounts and offer similar features without the potential for handing over your data to foreign governments. If you're not sold on Kaspersky, here are some alternative antivirus programs to check out:

Kaspersky has an excellent antivirus scanner and some pretty good web protections. It caught all the malware samples I downloaded in my tests, and its anti-phishing protection detected most of the risky sites I tried visiting.

That said, I still believe Kaspersky Plus and Premium security suites are effective overall. These suites offer a high-quality antivirus scanner, useful features, and reasonable prices. Kaspersky is also one of the more transparent antivirus companies. Following accusations in 2017 that Kaspersky was involved in stealing US intelligence data for the Russian government, it has relocated its data processing centers to Switzerland, it established Transparency Centers worldwide, and it has been regularly passing SOC 2 audits since 2019 (most recently in June 2023).

Kaspersky comes with a good antivirus scanner and a ton of additional features that can significantly boost your online safety. For example, it offers really good anti-phishing protection to prevent you from visiting dangerous websites, parental controls to keep your kids safe online, and a pretty decent VPN to keep your browsing data private.

The phishing protection uses multi-layered detection methods to block potentially harmful websites, and the Safe Browsing mode works effectively with popular browsers. The on-screen keyboard and Safe Money features also offer added layers of security, particularly against keyloggers.

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