App Review K7 Total security

It is advised to take all reviews with a grain of salt. In extreme cases some reviews use dramatization for entertainment purposes.
Product name
K7 Total Security
Installation (rating)
5.00 star(s)
User interface (rating)
3.00 star(s)
Accessibility notes
An overhaul of GUI is necessary, but it's fast and responsive.
Performance (rating)
5.00 star(s)
Core Protection (rating)
4.00 star(s)
Proactive protection (rating)
5.00 star(s)
Additional Protection notes
Very good malware protection, behavioural blocker, web blocker and PUP detection
Browser protection (rating)
4.00 star(s)
Positives
    • Low impact on system resources
    • Lightning fast scans
    • Easy to use
    • Ransomware protection
    • Strong and reliable protection
    • Detects or blocks in the wild malware
    • Consistently high test scores
    • Effective malicious URL blocking
    • Excellent scores in independent tests
    • Effective malware removal
    • Multi-layer protection approach
Negatives
    • Clumsy or awkward interface (UI)
    • Higher than average false positives
Time spent using product
Reviewed over a 30-day period
Computer specs
Windows 10, 8 GB DDR4 RAM, Intel Pentium Core i5 processor
Recommended for
  1. Inexperienced users
  2. Experienced users
  3. Financial banking or trading
  4. High-end or medium spec PCs
  5. Low spec PCs
Overall rating
5.00 star(s)

jackuars

Level 27
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Jul 2, 2014
1,688
I think K7 finally deserves a sub-section on this forum.

Very recently I had the chance to test it. I just can't believe how light this AV is! On idle, RAM usage is <45MB and I feel no effect of system performance being dragged down, in fact it is faster!

  • In Performance Test at AV-Comparatives, the impact score it received was 0.8! and was the lightest antivirus tested, much lighter than ESET.
  • In Real world Protection Test at AV-Comparatives, it scored a perfect 100% with 5 false positives.
  • In Malware Protection Test at AV-Comparatives, it scored a 99.99% with 1 compromised
  • A cause of concern is the number of false positives where it detected 47 clean files in False Alarm Test at AV-Comparatives, I could live with it.
  • At AV-Test it scored 5.5, 6, 5.5 for Protection, Performance and Usability
I believe this antivirus has come a long way, and probably work on it's flaws to be a top notch program.
 

SeriousHoax

Level 47
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,630
I just can't believe how light this AV is! On idle, RAM usage is <45MB and I feel no effect of system performance being dragged down, in fact it is faster!
This is very true. K7 is the lightest AV I ever used. Even faster that ESET and unlike products like Mcafee and Emsisoft who scans on execution only to make things faster. K7 is insanely snappy.
 

Der.Reisende

Level 45
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Malware Hunter
Dec 27, 2014
3,423
Agree, super light AV, decent signatures (at least for .exe, not so for scriptors and office files).
BB is also very reactive, seems to not rely on the cloud like many other products (works offline, too).
Lacking in terms of Ransomware Protection though (it does have DataLocker though, which prevents file encryption for covered folders - by default documents, pictures - by 98%, during my testing in the HUB, in very rare cases RW bypassed folder protection).
And sometimes HIPS does not recognize new AutoRuns (for example by scriptors), it did sometimes remove them after 20-30 minutes, not that stable yet.
But in most cases, you should be safe, even more as usually malware does not tend to pop up in bunches on the local machine like in the HUB tests, but rather takes the way via the browser, where K7 Web protection shines (at least for malware links).

EDIT: I really dislike there seems to be no option to ask for outbound by trusted M$ processes, even in highest settings (apart from block everything), they're whitelisted on outbound attempt.
Better create your own list for (later hollowed) Windows .exe you don't want to see call outbound.
All other services are ask first as intended (if you change firewall behaviour to do so, by default it doesn't).

1.jpg2.jpg3.jpg4.jpg5.jpg6.jpg7.jpg8.jpg9.jpg10.jpg
All tickets created so far. I marked all tickets with RW bypass in the subject, could be even more.
eMail:
Enable Worm Blocking, Scan outgoing eMails
Scanner:
also Scan Memory, Tracking Cookies, Unwanted Registry Entries, Unwanted Files
System Monitor:
Custom Level of Protection (actually all boxes are activated by default or because of "High" setting used before)
Always Prompt if a new Software is installed when changes are found
Do not automatically allow signed files / recognized by the System Monitor
Firewall:
Display critical alerts
Ask for outbound connections of non-whitelisted apps
Intrusion Rules: Activate also SMB Exploit Detection 1, HTTP Server Exploit Detection 1 and FTP Server Exploit Detection 1

Data Locker (custom setting not applied in previous tests):
Do not use SmartAnalysis to discover Trusted Applications
Trusted by Data Locker before setting turned off:
C:\Windows\system32\BackgroundTaskHost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\BackgroundTaskHost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\RuntimeBroker.exe
C:\Windows\system32\PickerHost.exe (=Snipping Tool to create screenshots)
C:\Windows\explorer.exe
C:\ProgramFiles\SoftMaker Office 2018\TextMaker.exe
C:\ProgramFiles\SoftMaker Office 2018\PlanMaker.exe
C:\ProgramFiles\SoftMaker Office 2018\Presentations.exe

Data Locker by default protects Pictures and Documents against writing performances by processes not whitelisted as above.
 
Last edited:

jackuars

Level 27
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Jul 2, 2014
1,688
Thanks for the explanation Dr.Reisende. I haven't seen K7 web protection in action. Does it not work on Vivaldi? Couldn't find an extension for the web filter too for it. I tried opening some phishing links, an even though it doesn't get loaded, I don't see any banners from K7 (showing webpage blocked) unlike ESET does.

What am i doing wrong?
 

Der.Reisende

Level 45
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Malware Hunter
Dec 27, 2014
3,423
Thanks for the explanation Dr.Reisende. I haven't seen K7 web protection in action. Does it not work on Vivaldi? Couldn't find an extension for the web filter too for it. I tried opening some phishing links, an even though it doesn't get loaded, I don't see any banners from K7 (showing webpage blocked) unlike ESET does.

What am i doing wrong?
Not about Chromium based Browsers (i use Brave), but definitely works in IE.
Does not need a extension (even it tries installing in Brave, but does not activate as no current version is found in the Chrome Web Store).
Check on VM / in SD with URLHaus links maybe?
I haven‘t K7 installed on my laptop anymore, but at the PC which is located in my mums home.
Will take some days till I be there again.

I also have the feeling K7 is less decent against phishing links, tried some last time, none blocked, however I cannot tell whether all were legit, Phishtank has also FP.
 

Mahesh Sudula

Level 17
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Sep 3, 2017
818
Not about Chromium based Browsers (i use Brave), but definitely works in IE.
Does not need a extension (even it tries installing in Brave, but does not activate as no current version is found in the Chrome Web Store).
Check on VM / in SD with URLHaus links maybe?
I haven‘t K7 installed on my laptop anymore, but at the PC which is located in my mums home.
Will take some days till I be there again.

I also have the feeling K7 is less decent against phishing links, tried some last time, none blocked, however I cannot tell whether all were legit, Phishtank has also FP.
Web protection is ok against MAL URLs.
But lacks a lot in phishing but certainly better than
Dr WEB.
I also have feeling that BB and signatures against non P.E, scripts, macros is not good .
Firewall is not as adv n automated ,in fact poor as compared to Symantec n Kaspersky.
 

jackuars

Level 27
Thread author
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Jul 2, 2014
1,688
Not about Chromium based Browsers (i use Brave), but definitely works in IE.
Does not need a extension (even it tries installing in Brave, but does not activate as no current version is found in the Chrome Web Store).

Found that the extension was disabled by default, but I've enabled it, however it doesn't register itself in toolbar.
 

roger_m

Level 41
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Dec 4, 2014
3,014
How? Isn't the site in Hindi language?
It's in English. You just need to add a fake Indian shipping address, which won't ever be used it you buy digital licenses. You can log in to Amazon India with your usual Amazon account.
 

alakazam

Level 9
Verified
Mar 25, 2014
398
I think K7 finally deserves a sub-section on this forum.
And here we are, 2 months later, and still no sub-forum for K7 Computing... Or for AhnLab... Or for VirusBlokAda... or for eScan... All of them being large companies that have stood the test of time and constantly update their products.

How does one go about to ask the MalwareTips owner to add sub-forums?
 

Der.Reisende

Level 45
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Malware Hunter
Dec 27, 2014
3,423
And here we are, 2 months later, and still no sub-forum for K7 Computing... Or for AhnLab... Or for VirusBlokAda... or for eScan... All of them being large companies that have stood the test of time and constantly update their products.

How does one go about to ask the MalwareTips owner to add sub-forums?
Ask @Jack for that, maybe he can add one.
 

Soulbound

Moderator
Verified
Staff Member
Well-known
Jan 14, 2015
1,761
Ahnlab aint that well known. They are mainly known for their anti cheating software.

It also looks like in their global website, only EP is listed (V3).

VBA is even less known to normal users. Its a decent solution for the advanced user. The site itself from last I checked was far from modern, so changes of a normal user coming across are way less than good old fortinet/fortiguard

As for eScan, well, I have my reservations.

All in all, apart from K7 i dont think the others need a subsection at this stage
 

gery79

Level 12
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Jun 21, 2011
566
Ahnlab aint that well known. They are mainly known for their anti cheating software.

It also looks like in their global website, only EP is listed (V3).

VBA is even less known to normal users. Its a decent solution for the advanced user. The site itself from last I checked was far from modern, so chaoff nges of a normal user coming across are way less than good old fortinet/fortiguard

As for eScan, well, I have my reservations.

All in all, apart from K7 i dont think the others need a subsection at this stage
Off topic. Is VBA still alive ?
 
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Cortex

Level 26
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Aug 4, 2016
1,465
As this looked an interesting thread I gave K7 a try, despite deleting all reg entries from Norton & files including hidden K7 still picked up a remnant & refused to install & I couldn't find the offending entry, but support gave me a fix - As i'm fanatical about the desktop the unrenamable fixed shortcut that irked me took a bit of removing - But I really like the program - I also like the interface too, very impressive! Inclined to stick with it
 

Soulbound

Moderator
Verified
Staff Member
Well-known
Jan 14, 2015
1,761
As this looked an interesting thread I gave K7 a try, despite deleting all reg entries from Norton & files including hidden K7 still picked up a remnant & refused to install & I couldn't find the offending entry, but support gave me a fix - As i'm fanatical about the desktop the unrenamable fixed shortcut that irked me took a bit of removing - But I really like the program - I also like the interface too, very impressive! Inclined to stick with it
they currently have their home solutions on sale, however note that the Antivirus version has limited internet protection (web protection is not available).
 

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