Kaspersky Antivirus Review 2021 – Is Kaspersky still good for home security?

Kaspersky Antivirus Review
Post Menu and Details.

Words: 4772

Reading time: ~19 minutes

Active Kaspersky offers:

When you want to protect your computer from all of the bugs on the internet, you must want to use the very best product. There are cases where some people would instead go with cheaper trusted brands, but there is a good chance that the decision will hurt you in the long run. There are many antivirus software solutions out there, but only a few are as good as Kaspersky antivirus software.

A short description of Kaspersky antivirus

Kaspersky Antivirus offers real-time protection against most security threats with comprehensive protections built into the software to protect its users’ devices from a wide variety of malware, spyware, and Trojans, combined with a friendly and user-friendly interface that makes it available to the public. Kaspersky Antivirus protection is unmatched and offers some of the best deals in the antivirus industry.

This is a security program that has consistently achieved good results in various independent tests. The antivirus results from four different test labs are excellent on both the powerful engine and the user-friendly interface. It has also been rated highly by AV testing labs in areas like phishing prevention and malicious URL blocking. Users can count on full support, 24/7 phone, and live chat at all times.

Definitely worth the investment if you need an antivirus that can detect and block all malware threats on your PC. Experts highly recommend Kaspersky Virus Protection products. The software is easy to install, easy to maintain and used by 300 million people worldwide. Even beginners can quickly understand the software without having to use it over and over to master it.

In summary, Kaspersky antivirus is best for the following reasons, which include:

  1. Users that are looking for essential protection even though there are paid-plans.
  2. Personal computers
  3. Individual users
  4. Users that want fast, easy-to-use. Reliable and well-respected antiviruses.

In this article, we will discuss some of the great features that Kaspersky software has and why it is a good pick for you to install on your computer and your home security.

Before we go further with Kaspersky antivirus features, we will be providing answers to some common questions that are usually asked by everyone hoping to secure and avoid various internet threats using an antivirus.

Here is a list of question and answers as regards Kaspersky antivirus:

Is Kaspersky a safe antivirus in the year 2021?

Kaspersky has shown some great results in Malware protection and other additional features presented in more advanced suites. Kaspersky antivirus works as it should and is among the best brands in the market; it is safe in data protection and security leaks.

How much does the Kaspersky antivirus cost?

Kaspersky antivirus price-plan varies depending on the suite you pick up for usage. This cost also depends on the number of devices linked under one account’s license; for example, the price for one device on Kaspersky antivirus will cost from $39.95 per year while for internet security starts from $41.95 per year and total security is $59.95 upwards per year.

Does Kaspersky antivirus have a free version and also offer a trial version for its paid-plan version?

Yes, it is widely known that Kaspersky antivirus offers a free version that can be served as a trial version before deciding to make a purchase. It is also important to know that all other paid-plan (suites) have trial versions used as a demo version before paying.

Does Kaspersky antivirus detect and removes ransomware?

Kaspersky is designed to detect and remove ransomware from its users’ devices, so Yes, it does, and the company usually updates its ransomware database regularly. Users of Kaspersky are always protected against the latest types of ransomware threats.

Does Kaspersky antivirus provide mobile protection?

Yes, it provides protection; Kaspersky antivirus has a huge range of features for mobile apps on Android and iOS devices, including a virus scanner, password manager, parental controls, and virtual private network (VPN), etc.

Can Kaspersky antivirus block all types of phishing sites?

Yes, Kaspersky internet security and total security packages offer phishing attack prevention as the software will protect you against malicious websites and phishing links. It will also thoroughly scan emails for various phishing signals such as links, header text, and design features.

How can I uninstall Kaspersky antivirus from my PC?

Removing Kaspersky Anti-Virus is very simple and straight-forward, just left-click on the “Start” button and carefully find Kaspersky in the “Programs” section.

Then select “Uninstall a program,” and the current version will be removed from the system, but you can also use the Windows control panel to uninstall the antivirus from your PC.

Why Kaspersky antivirus?

It is one of the most trusted and recognized antivirus software on the market, and 270,000 corporate customers worldwide use various Kaspersky products. As a cybersecurity fighter, this antivirus software is always up to date.

Every third-party test has shown that Kaspersky Lab’s packages are 100% effective against all types of malware attacks because they detect and stop viruses, while most competitors typically detect 98/99 percent (%) of common/zero-day viruses.

Also, engineers/technicians from Kaspersky Lab. have managed to develop one of the best engines that have a minimal load on the CPU. On the other hand, the entry-level model Kaspersky Antivirus (i.e., Kaspersky Free) is available with somewhat limited features.

However, if you are looking for top-notch features and security like parental controls, online banking protection, and a lot more, you have to pay for the best packages available for Kaspersky plans, even if the Kaspersky product does. Kaspersky Internet is the most sold. Security and absolute security. It was then that you realized that this company was real and a leader in online security.

 

Ease to use

The Kaspersky software program is widely known as one of the most user-friendly solutions available in the market. It has been around for quite a long time, and they have been perfecting the original formula of all those years of research practice. It does not require you to be a Pro to make sense of all the menus and options of Kaspersky antivirus, even though they might seem a bit intimidating at first. At the same time, the most important menus are always on the main screen of the interface.

Features like the scans, the settings, and updates are all within your reach on the interface and you can as well check the license status in the lower right corner. For advanced users, there is a lot of fine-tuning to do in the settings menu.

All needed information on the Kaspersky interface can be found on the home screen and can be easily checked for your convenience. Simultaneously, real-time protection doesn’t interfere with your computer performance or interrupt important tasks you are working on.

The Kaspersky antivirus users’ interface

The dashboard is easy to use and professional in equal measure, with just the right mix of colors. All menus are self-explanatory, and Kaspersky leaves plenty of room for configuration. If you see a green checkmark in the middle of the main screen, your device is well protected, and there is no problem, but it will change to red as new threats come your way.

There are four buttons in the lower half of the screen, and they can be used to update antivirus programs, scan the computer, check for the latest reports, and start the on-screen keyboard. While the update area is straightforward, just confirm your request, and Kaspersky antivirus will take care of the rest.

The reports are also easy to navigate, and the on-screen keyboard, on the other hand, is a smart way to protect your usernames and passwords. If it runs on your device, no hackers can steal your credentials or gain access to your bank account. Our team of experts tried to “trick” it with several commercial keyloggers, but the keystrokes could not be logged.

Kaspersky antivirus Performance

This antivirus software provides reasonable protection while using small system resources for its operation. This has always been an important feature of Kaspersky Antivirus. Compared to its competitors in the market, this software only slows performance by 8-12%, which is reported to be the leading result. While the industry average is up to 30%, Bitdefender Antivirus is the only other product that can compete with Kaspersky.

Reliability and Security features

Kaspersky Antivirus is one of the most secured, reliable software programs with a robust offer on the market, and its protection is superb regardless of the packages you selected. The most prominent benefit of the Kaspersky Antivirus suite is real-time protection.

Also, you can set different scans that will detect the malware and deal with it. Kaspersky Antivirus gives you proper protection from all types of internet threats, including worms, rootkit, spam, phishing, and trojans. Kaspersky antivirus is available for different platforms but has its limits.

If you wish full coverage and security, then it is better to check out more advanced plans that the company offers you.

Malware Protection

We can consider Kaspersky Antivirus as one of the leading malware protection providers because it shows the fewest false positives shown in independent test results. Kaspersky can detect and block malware attacks by up to 90%.

Kaspersky Antivirus offers real-time protection with its scanning options that you can run at any time. We recommend that you don’t skip the mandatory and regular scans, from the full scan to your PC’s daily quick scan. The antivirus program protects your computer’s file system from infection, runs when the operating system starts and continues to run in the computer’s RAM. File Anti-Virus scans every file on your system, regardless of whether it was opened, saved, or started on your device.

Kaspersky antivirus uses the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) cloud and heuristic algorithms to protect devices. This means that your PC or laptop is protected from threats that are not yet listed in the malware database. Kaspersky detects suspicious and unusual behavior even before it can recognize the threat.

Kaspersky scores points for detecting, blocking, and removing malware in the SE-Labs test from October to December. Even so, it struggled with AV-Comparative’s performance and achieved a 99.1% score. We look forward to furthering updates in the upcoming 2021 tests from the most popular laboratories.

Kaspersky’s malware protection

Kaspersky’s malware protection detects system vulnerabilities and restores files that have already been damaged. It can detect USB drive-based malware and prevent attacks in seconds.

In the URL blocking test, Kaspersky immediately blocked access to 52% of websites and removed 40% of threats during the download process with a score of 9.2. When testing phishing sites, Kaspersky got a perfect score (100). The previous version was only able to gain 89%.

Ransomware Protection

You may know that ransomware is one of the most harmful types of viruses. It is a trojan horse that will modify your data, steal it, and then ask for the ransom. Kaspersky offers ransomware protection, both as a plan subscription and as a separate free tool. Kaspersky promises that its ransomware tool is GDPR ready and that you can trust your data.

Ransomware tools can block local and remote attempts to encrypt your data. Regardless of the origin of the attack, you can be sure that no one is stealing your data.

Kaspersky antivirus is compatible with some competitor antiviruses software as it works without interruption, in cases where Kaspersky isn’t your first solution. It is believed that creating a tool that can be used with other brands is an important step for such a company. Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware detects, blocks, and removes not only malware but also crypto-miner software, including adware.

As an application component, ransomware detection also depends on the detection of suspicious code behavior. For example, Kaspersky immediately blocks the application when ransomware tries to encrypt or modify the system registry.

Phishing Protection

Phishing is one of the most likely scenarios that can happen to you if you aren’t expecting it. Identity and data theft are the main results of phishing, and malicious links opened on your device.

Kaspersky Antivirus has a powerful anti-phishing component integrated into an extended subscription. It protects your online presence from phishing (those that steal your data) and malicious links (those that contain malware). Kaspersky antivirus makes use of the newest updated database of phishing and malicious web addresses. You will not be caught by malware from newly created websites.

Kaspersky Anti-Phishing scans messages for these phishing and malicious links, analyzing the subject, content, design features, and other attributes that may contain dangerous code. This scan also uses the heuristic algorithm, the technology that detects threats that have not been added to anti-virus databases. It analyses the behavior of the object and provides a report to the system.

The component of Kaspersky antivirus also uses KSN cloud services to update its resource, file, and software information. The anti-phishing tool can delete, allow, or move the email to the Junk folder, depending on your decision. You can activate or deactivate phishing protection for your mailbox and browser at any time. However, we recommend that you always activate it.

Scanning Options

You can access different types of scans from the scan field. The list includes a full scan that only checks your external drives and a customizable scan. Yes, you can manually select files and folders for the antivirus to test, and of course, there is also a quick scan.

The good news is that the latest Kaspersky 2021 packages are much faster, and you will be impressed with how fast they all run through the scans. In turn, the scheduler lets you set the exact time a scan should start and let the software do the rest. While the bad news is, it takes up to three clicks to get the easiest (quick) scan, while most antivirus can do it with a single click.

Kaspersky Password Manager

As an active user online and offline, you know that your password security affects the world. It is either the password for your YouTube account or your website admin panel or your Facebook account. You should take all necessary steps to prevent malware from stealing passwords. Kaspersky Password Manager is provided in a Kaspersky Total Security package.

You can access it through the user interface or install it separately. Kaspersky Password Manager offers a cross-platform synchronized experience that allows you to manage passwords for your desktop, laptop, and other devices simultaneously.

The benefit of a password manager is a secure online and offline experience, and with Kaspersky Password Manager, users can create, also securely store and manage hack-resistant passwords. Each of your devices has a database that protects passwords and other private notes data to fill in fields on websites automatically.

Kaspersky secure virtual private network (VPN) connection

Kaspersky Secure Connection VPN shows excellent results in the security of your online presence. It’s pretty easy for those who are new to technology. It also offers a decent and stable basic VPN.

Kaspersky Secure Connection is powered by Hotspot Shield and has a limited number of locations that can be turned off for those who want more variety. Another major problem related to the VPN service may be the general reputation of Kaspersky and related surveillance scandals. The Kaspersky VPN extension and the VPN service do not have as much access to your data and files but create an additional privacy level and serve to prevent hacker attacks.

Kaspersky Security Connection VPN has activated automatically when you join an unsecured or untrusted network. However, it’s also up to you to decide if you want this to happen by default.

While quite decent, the speed of the service is not exceptional, but there are different platforms, and you usually get one in the package, but you can use them separately.

 Kaspersky Safe Money 

Online banking and payment systems are essential for every user these days, and without great care, you can suffer serious financial loss or data breach. The Kaspersky Safe Money component improves the security level of your online banking or payment system. Safe Money works as soon as you enter your online banking profile.

Kaspersky’s Safe Money component checks whether the online banking or payment system is genuine and prevents you from using fake websites. Kaspersky Safe Money ensures that the website page is intended for the updated database of financial institutions’ websites, which is continuously maintained by Kaspersky engineers.

A Safe Money component allows you to activate it as soon as you enter the payment system or the bank and never saves personal data. We recommend using this feature to secure online banking and payment transactions and prevent unwanted intrusion from hackers or malicious code.

Kaspersky Safe Money also acts as an extra layer of protection against phishing and malware websites that can steal your data and all of your credentials. It looks for system vulnerabilities and warns you if something is critical in your online banking.

Kaspersky Cloud Protection

With Kaspersky Cloud Protection, you can help Kaspersky fight malware. Kaspersky claims that it can provide increased protection against malicious applications and websites by instructing your computer to send data to Kaspersky, thus assisting antivirus scanning. The more data Kaspersky has, the better it can detect viruses. Kaspersky then immediately shares its results with all Kaspersky users.

To activate Cloud Protection, you must first accept the contract with the Kaspersky Security Network, which explains the type of data that Kaspersky collects.

The agreement explains that, through its Cloud Protection feature, Kaspersky can collect your personal information, including:

  • The list of websites you have visited.
  • Its users’ device unique ID number.
  • The list of applications installed on its users’ devices.

Privacy Cleaner

Kaspersky Privacy Cleaner is included in all pricing plans. The Privacy Cleaner feature allows you to remove “traces of activity” from your computer, including your operating system and web browsers, which permanently record your activities. There are good reasons your computer is recording your activity, so you don’t have to worry. However, hackers usually look for ways to access this information. Still, the good news is, Privacy Cleaner clears your browsing history, the folder for temporary files, and the prefetch cache, which stores copies of previously viewed web pages for quick access.

Kaspersky Support and Customer Service

As always, there is tons of useful information about Kaspersky Antivirus on their website as they have an active forum based on useful knowledge and even video tutorials. If you are looking for direct customer support, you can get. from the user side. Create a ticket and wait for one of the employees to respond.

You may come across a review of Kaspersky Antivirus on the internet claiming that their support is very slow and unprofessional. However, this is not the case. Please ignore the rumors.

Kaspersky offers several support languages and recommends that you contact support on the social networks to join the forum if you want to share your experience with other users.

Kaspersky antivirus products and subscription plans

Different subscriptions offer a variety of features. Of course, you don’t get the full package in the trial version. You won’t be entirely satisfied with the basic plan subscription either. At the same time, it depends on your needs and budget to make a final decision.

We appreciate the availability of Kaspersky subscriptions, even without going too far compared to other brands. The price for the year is a bargain; after all, the price varies due to the ability to connect and cover multiple devices under one license. We can put Kaspersky in the category of medium-sized solutions for your computer.

Kaspersky antivirus Free Version

Kaspersky manages to show good results in this category since it has the same detection engine that other products have. So, it is good at combating malware and other unwanted attacks on your computer and data.

Kaspersky Free Version helps you eliminate malicious tools, auto-dialers, suspicious packages, adware, and detect other unwanted software before it manages to harm your hardware and OS. You can choose this option when installing the software on your computer. The antivirus free version includes instant messaging, file, web, network, and email scanners, but you are limited in customizing the settings.

Kaspersky Antivirus free provides basic virus protection for Windows PCs only.

Features include:

  1. Real-time protection against all types of malware — including viruses, ransomware, and spyware.
  2. Quick, full, custom, and scheduled scans.
  3. On-Screen Keyboard.
  4. Cloud Protection.
  5. Privacy Cleaner.
  6. Vulnerability Scan — detects security weaknesses such as outdated applications.
  7. Rescue Disk — creates a handy antivirus application on a USB device.
  8. Microsoft Windows Troubleshooting.
  9. Password Manager Free.
  10. Secure Connection VPN.

Kaspersky antivirus free is an excellent basic package if you are looking for a lightweight, easy-to-use Windows antivirus product.

Kaspersky Internet Security

This antivirus solution has additional features not included in the free or antivirus suites. It’s not an impressive update, but we have to admit that several different paid suites come in very handy and nothing more for those looking for those specific components.

Kaspersky Internet Security has limited parental controls and strong web browser security. It includes webcam feeds, online payments, and internet connection protection from threats associated with those specific operations. It blocks banner ads and prevents data collection from third party websites.

At the same time, Kaspersky Internet Security offers quick updates and helps you to identify and remove applications that are not in use, and that could affect your computer’s performance. Also, it has a two-way firewall and detects any attempt to hack your built-in microphone, keyboard, and webcam, and block recordings or attacks.

This is a great option for active internet users and those connected to streaming or gaming. Your online presence is secure through private browsing and secure money modes.

It also adds some internet security and privacy features, including:

  1. Save Money.
  2. Webcam Protection.
  3. Anti-Spam.
  4. Private Browsing browser extension that blocks ads and tracking cookies.
  5. Advanced Anti-Phishing Protection — integrates with your browser to identify suspicious URLs and search results.

These additional tools protect against online privacy threats like phishing, spyware, and intrusive tracking cookies. Kaspersky Internet Security is only a modest price increase, but it does include some pretty important extras. This is a perfect choice if you shop or bank frequently online.

Kaspersky Total Protection

Kaspersky Total Protection adds data protection and encryption functions that are taken very seriously. Please note that all of the mentioned functions for private surfing, safe money, webcam, keyboard and microphone protection, and parental controls are included in this suite. The additional layers in Kaspersky Total Protection are suitable for users who value their computing experience online and notably offline.

In addition to the previous sequel, various operating systems and platforms are covered. You can also choose how many devices you want to connect and cover. Total Security is more sophisticated with data cleansing and operating system optimization and helps you manage your computer with just a few clicks on the Kaspersky Total Security home screen. The child safety features the Safe Kinds mode, which covers 10 devices as a family plan.

The only aspect of this suite that you may not like is the price. Another downside to the suite is the lack of hosted storage for online backups. We hope that Kaspersky will investigate these issues and take measures to offer its users products of better quality.

Kaspersky Total Security adds the following features:

  1. Safe Kids Premium. Blocks adult content, helps track your kids’ internet use and allows you to locate them via GPS.
  2. Password Manager Premium. Stores unlimited passwords.
  3. Backup & Restore. 2 GB online storage via Dropbox.
  4. Data Encryption. Let’s create a secure storage area on your hard-drive for sensitive files (Windows only).

There are some serious problems with this plan, and, unfortunately, Kaspersky feels that some of these extra features are included in their more expensive plan when they are really worthless. For example, Backup & Restore is literally a standard 2GB Dropbox account unless you access it through the Kaspersky user interface.

Then there is data encryption that does not differ from the “Encrypted File Service” function included in Windows 10. The best subscription plan in Kaspersky antivirus is its Internet Security plan. Kaspersky Total Security offers very little extra and is probably not worth the upgrade.

Kaspersky for Mobile Protection: Android and iOS protection

It is very convenient to manage your cross-platform coverage in the desktop version, and we like this advantage of Kaspersky, along with all of its convenience and ease of use. The biggest benefit of this decision to have a package that connects your devices is that you can track your phone and prevent it from being hacked if it is stolen.

IOS and Android work well and diligently. On the other hand, we found that both versions offer a fairly limited number of features, which can disappoint many users who are expecting a premium experience with Kaspersky on their phones.

Both versions have parental controls, caller IDs, secure login (for Android), and a secure browser (for iOS), as well as a QR scanner that prevents malicious codes from accessing data stored on your phone.

If you’re planning on parental controls and password managers, you should look at what Kaspersky has to offer for your phone. Malware detection and removal worked best on Android, while on the iPhone, it wasn’t as obvious, and there were multiple false positives.

Call screening isn’t as important for iOS as it is for Android, so a bonus point specifically for this feature on Android. Overall, the Kaspersky Mobile suites do a good job. If you decide to go with a suite, it is best to connect your devices under one brand.

Kaspersky Antivirus for Android offers the following free features:

  1. On-demand malware scanning.
  2. Anti-theft tools:
  3. Locate your phone via your My Kaspersky account.
  4. Wipe your data.
  5. Trigger an alarm.
  6. Take a photo of anyone who attempts to use your phone.
  7. Lock your phone if someone removes the SIM.
  8. Lock your phone if someone tries to uninstall Kaspersky Antivirus.

It is important to know that the full version of Kaspersky Antivirus for Android is also included with Kaspersky Internet Security and Total Security.

It offers the following bonus features:

  1. Real-Time Protection. Fights against all types of malware.
  2. App Lock. Lock specific apps behind a PIN, fingerprint, or security pattern.
  3. Internet Protection. Protects you from phishing scams and malicious websites.

Lab Tests

Kaspersky Antivirus Solution prides itself on being part of the independent reviews. They encourage readers to review the various tests and their results to make an informed decision accordingly. Kaspersky achieved 6 out of 6 points in all categories carried out by AV-Test, and these results have been consistently high for some time.

This appears to show the best results in detecting and blocking and removing malware in SE-Labs’ between the October-December test even though Kaspersky didn’t do very well in AV comparisons with a score of 99.1%, which isn’t terrible when compared to other brands.

Image

Download and Installation

The installation process is pretty normal, although it will take up to 20 minutes or more to install your system on your computer. During the installation, your device will be checked for incompatible software. The anti-virus program will report if another anti-virus program is already installed on your computer. It is highly recommended that you remove anti-virus software from your computer / mobile device as Kaspersky often has compatibility problems.

Before the installation is completed, Kaspersky Lab will request you to connect to its network, and If you answer “yes,” your device will “connect” you. If the antivirus detects malware or suspicious code on your system, it will automatically be sent to KSN for further analysis. In this way, the company can keep track of things around the clock and protect other users from threats on their devices.

Kaspersky antivirus Pros

  1. No virus will ever get through Kaspersky Antivirus.
  2. There is a 30-day trial included.
  3. The free Kaspersky TDSSKILLER will scan your computer for rootkits and bootkits and remove them.
  4. It is effortless to switch from the basic plan to the more advanced price-plan.
  5. The higher plans offer a massive list of unique features.
  6. The customization options will satisfy the fans of tweaking.

Kaspersky antivirus Cons

  1. The Kaspersky antivirus free comes with a minimal set of features for its users.
  2. For some users, the ultimate plan might seem expensive.
  3. The bad news is that the basic package is only available on Windows systems. To get Kaspersky for Mac and the mobile platforms, you will have to switch to their premium version.
  4. If you are concerned that the Russian government is spying on the users through this antivirus, it might not be the best choice.

Kaspersky antivirus FAQs


Can I trust Kaspersky Anti-Virus in 2021?

Kaspersky is an excellent antivirus if you need third-party antivirus software. Kaspersky has always been great since there were no problems with it, which does not apply to all other AV-products. In our independent Kaspersky review 2021, you can find more useful information.

Is it worth it to pay for Kaspersky?

Yes, Kaspersky is definitely worth the price. But keep in mind that there is no such point as free. Although most paid antivirus programs have good ratings, Kaspersky is one of the world’s best that provides adequate protection against malware.

Is Kaspersky dedicated to a good antivirus?

Kaspersky Anti-Virus receives one of the highest ratings in all tests from all independent laboratories. All versions of Kaspersky, both paid and free, protect your system quite well. Our experts recommend Kaspersky as the primary antivirus.

Download Kaspersky Antivirus Review Is It Good Enough mp3 file

Thank you for reading!