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Kaspersky Launches Its Free Antivirus Software Worldwide (engadget.com)

Posted by msmash on from the change-of-heart dept.

Kaspersky has finally launched its free antivirus software after a year-and-a-half of testing it in select regions. From a report: While the software was only available in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, China and in Nordic countries during its trial run, Kaspersky is releasing it worldwide. The free antivirus doesn't have VPN, Parental Controls and Online Payment Protection its paid counterpart offers, but it has all the essential features you need to protect your PC. It can scan files and emails, protect your PC while you use the web and quarantine malware that infects your system. The company says the software isn't riddled with advertisements like other free antivirus offerings. Instead of trying to make ad money off your patronage, Kaspersky will use the data you contribute to improve machine learning across its products. The free antivirus will be available in the US, Canada and most Asia-Pacific countries over the next couple of days, if it isn't yet. After this initial release, the company will roll it out in other regions from September to November.

15 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. "Free" by Chaymus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Who better to write antivirus software than an entity accused of cyberespionage?

    1. Re: "Free" by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 2

      Sure, but it is FREE cyberespionage!

      --
      Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
  2. How good is it compared to... by butzwonker · · Score: 4, Interesting

    [ ] Bitdefender Free

    [ ] AVAST Free

    [ ] AVG Free

    [ ] Sophos Home (free)

    In other words, is there a reason for me to install Kaspersky instead of Sophos or Bitdefender, which I both used in the past? (If you reply, please do NOT mention anything about US politics or Russia - thank you!)

    1. Re:How good is it compared to... by Major_Disorder · · Score: 2

      Does Avast have Vladamir Putin on a horse backing them up?

      Yeah, I didn't THINK so!

      I hear Donald Trump loves it, and is going to get it installed on all Whitehouse computers by the end of the week.

      --
      First law of people: People are generally stupid.
    2. Re:How good is it compared to... by hyperar · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm currently using BitDefender Free, quite happy with it, lightweight, silent, (...)

      So I gather you're a Windows prod...erm, user. Why the fuck a Windows user has to do with Slashdot?

      Oh, i understand your confusion, i'm just in Slashdot waiting for the "Year of Linux desktop" article to pop up.

    3. Re:How good is it compared to... by chispito · · Score: 2

      My experience, based on encountering and uploading malware to VT and similar sites, is that Kaspersky is one of the first antivirus providers to get definitions for new malware. We used to have Symantec and they were hours behind. That said, I couldn't tell you what the real world difference is now because we switched to a different AV company from Symantec (not Kaspersky) and our edge protection got much better.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    4. Re:How good is it compared to... by DigiShaman · · Score: 2

      Bitdefender = The best tied with Fortinet

      Fortinet = The best tied with Bitdefender (can download the Forticlient)

      AVAST = It's ok

      AVG = Turned junkware, absolute shit!

      Sophos = Meh, not sure how well it ranks with Trend Micro which otherwise is regarded as "ok".

      McAfree = I'm listing it because it total shit; as in the baseline for what shit could possibly be!!!

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
  3. Competes against built-in by fred6666 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    There is already an antivirus builtin to Windows. Honest question here, why should I install this one instead?

    1. Re:Competes against built-in by arth1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      There is already an antivirus builtin to Windows. Honest question here, why should I install this one instead?

      The question is whether you want to open your machine to NSA/CIA/FBI/CBP or to FSB/FSO/SVR/GRU. Who is more likely to break down your door in the middle of the night? Pick the other.

    2. Re:Competes against built-in by TWX · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Antivirus built-in to Windows, brought to you by the people that make the highly-infectable Windows!

      In all seriousness, the biggest logical fault I have with using Microsoft's antivirus tool is that being both the source of the problem and the solution to the problem doesn't make a lot of sense. Without knowing Microsoft's priorities it's difficult to really say how independent their antivirus team is relative to their mainstream products teams, so for all we know they're subject to the same pressures to produce code regardless of quality that the main products teams face. Even if they are independent to an extent, we don't know how corporate culture impacts them such that their mentality might be similar.

      Using a third-party product as essentially an audit is probably the right approach, if that third-party product can be trusted. Unfortunately over the years we've seen both paid products and free products devolve to where they should lose our trust. You can't permanently rely on a solution and have to always be ready to change if your previous choice becomes unsuitable.

      With that in mind, Kaspersky may have some stuff going for it, but it has some stuff going against it too. Yevgeny Kaspersky seems to be at the top of the game when it comes to security, but since he continues to reside in his home country where there's a history of questionable actions and takeovers by the government that has also been suggested as a state-sponsor of cyberespionage, it's difficult to trust that there won't be government meddling in Kaspersky products or an outright takeover of the the company by the State should the State feel that it's in its best interests to do so. This isn't some random application, this is software that must establish deep integration into the OS to function and also must regularly communicate with company servers to retrieve new information and to update itself. We should be skeptical as to how much we trust any application that requires these kinds of privileges, and the source of the application is important.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    3. Re:Competes against built-in by chispito · · Score: 2

      There is already an antivirus builtin to Windows. Honest question here, why should I install this one instead?

      In my experience, back when we had poor edge protection at work (2-3 years ago) and malware made it into the company, I would upload it to sites like VT, Malwr, and Anubis. Kaspersky was nearly always one of the first AV companies to detect it. We had Symantec and they were always hours behind.

      So, I'd say that the reason is because if you're going to traditional AV route, instead of no AV or a next gen AV, Kaspersky is probably one of the best bets.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
  4. Reviews Are In! by Thelasko · · Score: 3, Funny
    The reviews are already in for this new product from Kaspersky.

    It's a trap!

    -Admiral Ackbar

    It's a trick! Get an axe.

    -Ash Williams

    --
    One of our competitors trademarked the term "hypothesis". From now on, we will call them "boneheaded ideas".
  5. Re:Didn't their Source code make it to the web? by KiloByte · · Score: 2

    Well, I'm using an OS whose entire source has been leaked in 1991, and hasn't seen a full rewrite since. Now that one must be compromised to hell and back...

    --
    The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
  6. Re:At least I can avoid it if I want to! by Lord+Kano · · Score: 2

    I prefer Kaspersky to systemd.

    If Kaspersky is screwing me over, it at least has the decency to do it without ruining stuff.

    LK

    --
    "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
  7. Hey look, a distraction! by ilsaloving · · Score: 2

    We've been implicated with working closely with Russian Intelligence. I know! FREE SOFTWARE FOR EVERYONE!