Kaspersky Anti-Virus

Kaspersky Anti-Virus (now rebranded as Kaspersky Standard) is a paid antivirus by Kaspersky Lab, a Russian security company. It costs around $40 per year and runs on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Worth noting: since September 2024, Kaspersky has been banned from selling and providing updates in the United States due to national security concerns.

Protection features

The antivirus engine runs scans in three modes: Quick (checks common infection spots), Full (scans everything), and Custom (you pick what to scan). The ransomware module monitors file system activity for encryption patterns and blocks unauthorized access to your documents. Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) is a cloud reputation system - it checks unknown files against data from millions of other users for faster threat identification.

Extra tools

Safe Money opens an isolated browser when you visit banking or payment sites, protecting against keyloggers and screen capture. The firewall blocks unauthorized network connections and monitors traffic for suspicious activity. A Do Not Disturb mode suppresses all notifications while you are gaming or presenting.

Who it is for

Kaspersky remains a technically strong antivirus that scores well in independent testing. However, the US ban and ongoing privacy concerns make it a harder recommendation than it used to be. If you are outside the US and not concerned about the Russian connection, it works well. Otherwise, Bitdefender, ESET, or even Windows Defender are safer choices.