Q&A Which Kaspersky product do you like best?

[Guilhermesene]

I created this poll out of curiosity to find out which Kaspersky products are the most used. Anyone who wants to elaborate on why they prefer a certain product, can leave a comment below

 

[Deletedmessiah]

KIS since I've not used the total version and was more than enough when I used it.

 

[Local Host]

KIS has more than I need, KTS is just bundled with crapware.

 

[SeriousHoax]

Same as what Local Host said, but I'll phrase is slightly differently.
KIS already has things that I don't need. So IMO even KIS has crapware so KTS is unnecessary for me.

 

[South Park]

KSC Free seems to be more than adequate, especially if one uses SWH.

 

[Dixz45]

KIS is very cool however it contains things I don't need like
Software Updater
Anti Notifications
Anti-Spam
Application management
Private Browsing
There is also a bad thing with Kaspersky, which is installing Kaspersky VPN by default with the program without asking for the option to allow or deny, as in the password management program, and it must be deleted and restarted computer

 

[cofer123]

KIS is very cool however it contains things I don't need like
Software Updater
Anti Notifications
Anti-Spam
Application management
Private Browsing
There is also a bad thing with Kaspersky, which is installing Kaspersky VPN by default with the program without asking for the option to allow or deny, as in the password management program, and it must be deleted and restarted computer

This is the reason I went back to ESET, along with a few other reasons of my own. It never attempted to install anything I didn't want in over a decade I've been using it, and it remains consistent on what it offers.

While the KIS features (sw updater, anti-spam, app. management, private browsing) are all configurable and possible to disable, the sneaky VPN installation was my first disappointment. You can avoid installing it by downloading the offline installation files (which are not available anywhere) and removing the VPN files before it's installed, but that is a terrible behavior to install it by default, akin to installers riddled with malware that sneak software into your computer without your consent.

The PW manager is also handled very poorly by Kaspersky since it attempts to reinstall itself after each major software update, and you have to be aware to uncheck its install checkbox each time. While that is something that should be done for anything that attempts to install itself on your computer, don't forget some of us manage other people's computers and these users are not as careful on what they install, .e.g., parents. I mean, the reason I chose KIS for them is because they are not careful with their computer habits, so what good is KIS if itself is doing what I wanted it to prevent?

But the major issue I recently faced with Kaspersky is that I'm a developer, and I had a very unfortunate episode happen to me which took several hours to recover.

Whenever I compile a new version of an application, Kaspersky would nag me about it since it's a new, unknown software. While I can set folder exclusion rules so that Kaspersky wouldn't nag me about my own software, the problem that is unfixable is when my new software attempts to interact with any other software on my computer. Then the behavior scanner of KIS would either:

1. Block the interaction altogether, if apply default actions are set in Kaspersky; or
2. Nag me with half a dozen prompts each time my software ran, if apply default actions are not set in Kaspersky.

And each time a compile a new version of my software, the annoyances will, of course, repeat themselves. And according to Kaspersky's own support, there is no way around that with the exception of turning off behavioral scan, thus disabling one of Kaspersky's main security features.

But the real bad episode I had was when KIS wrongly flagged one of my software as malware and initiated an advanced disinfection without my consent. It didn't even ask me what to do, it simply went full red alert. For those that never had this happen, what an advanced disinfection does is to halt pretty much anything running on your computer and prepare a forceful restart, but without properly closing running processes. That was akin to a hard power-off of my computer while I had several sensitive stuff running. I lost code I was working on, Firefox got corrupted and lost several of its settings/extension settings. KeePass was performing an automatic database save and it got corrupted, and even Windows had to enter recovery mode because some stuff got damaged along the way.

Thankfully I have backups and was able to restore most of what I had lost, but that's something no AV software should ever do, especially when I configure it specifically so what it should ask me what to do on any situation. After that, which happened around July/August, I decided it would be best to simply move away from Kaspersky.

 

[Back3]

I had many prompts when I tried to install portable versions of Hibit Uninstaller and Ruckzuk. I can understand that. But I also had many prompts when running mspaint, Microsoft.Photos.exe and Applications photos. Come on Kaspersky! Eventually, each time, I had to set them up in Application Control.
Another issue I had with KIS: after a restoration with Macrium, my licence was disabled. KIS thought it was stolen. It was bought on SerialCart! I had to contact them to get my licence back.
I'm still with KIS though.

 

[Freud2004]

KIS, their VPN is very bad with old protocols and slow servers, KIS have all the features I need.

 

[Guilhermesene]

This is the reason I went back to ESET, along with a few other reasons of my own. It never attempted to install anything I didn't want in over a decade I've been using it, and it remains consistent on what it offers.

While the KIS features (sw updater, anti-spam, app. management, private browsing) are all configurable and possible to disable, the sneaky VPN installation was my first disappointment. You can avoid installing it by downloading the offline installation files (which are not available anywhere) and removing the VPN files before it's installed, but that is a terrible behavior to install it by default, akin to installers riddled with malware that sneak software into your computer without your consent.

The PW manager is also handled very poorly by Kaspersky since it attempts to reinstall itself after each major software update, and you have to be aware to uncheck its install checkbox each time. While that is something that should be done for anything that attempts to install itself on your computer, don't forget some of us manage other people's computers and these users are not as careful on what they install, .e.g., parents. I mean, the reason I chose KIS for them is because they are not careful with their computer habits, so what good is KIS if itself is doing what I wanted it to prevent?

But the major issue I recently faced with Kaspersky is that I'm a developer, and I had a very unfortunate episode happen to me which took several hours to recover.

Whenever I compile a new version of an application, Kaspersky would nag me about it since it's a new, unknown software. While I can set folder exclusion rules so that Kaspersky wouldn't nag me about my own software, the problem that is unfixable is when my new software attempts to interact with any other software on my computer. Then the behavior scanner of KIS would either:

1. Block the interaction altogether, if apply default actions are set in Kaspersky; or
2. Nag me with half a dozen prompts each time my software ran, if apply default actions are not set in Kaspersky.

And each time a compile a new version of my software, the annoyances will, of course, repeat themselves. And according to Kaspersky's own support, there is no way around that with the exception of turning off behavioral scan, thus disabling one of Kaspersky's main security features.

But the real bad episode I had was when KIS wrongly flagged one of my software as malware and initiated an advanced disinfection without my consent. It didn't even ask me what to do, it simply went full red alert. For those that never had this happen, what an advanced disinfection does is to halt pretty much anything running on your computer and prepare a forceful restart, but without properly closing running processes. That was akin to a hard power-off of my computer while I had several sensitive stuff running. I lost code I was working on, Firefox got corrupted and lost several of its settings/extension settings. KeePass was performing an automatic database save and it got corrupted, and even Windows had to enter recovery mode because some stuff got damaged along the way.

Thankfully I have backups and was able to restore most of what I had lost, but that's something no AV software should ever do, especially when I configure it specifically so what it should ask me what to do on any situation. After that, which happened around July/August, I decided it would be best to simply move away from Kaspersky.

I think you said everything I think, the only thing missing is that Kaspersky unfortunately sometimes I get the feeling that the company is losing its way because the product is getting more and more bloated with extra features that are not so much the focus of AV protection (it may be a tactic to make extra money from customers, or it really has no such intention but is going down this path of bloat).

I also suffered from the same problem as you, I am also a developer and one of the problems I had (even though I was using the default denial mode) was this, of blocking my developed applications when they have nothing to do with malware.

Just like you, I also feel a bother with all these extra applications like: VPN, Password Manager, Safe Kids and so on.

The interesting thing about ESET is that it really is a lean product, constantly updated and that you don't even notice plans by the company to put these applications considered as “bloatware” or "crapware" (they could even do that, even more in this time of global financial crisis because of the coronavirus, as a way to earn extra money from customers for example), but no, they don't, the product remains simple, lean, with the focus on protection that always was

 

[Freud2004]

I think you said everything I think, the only thing missing is that Kaspersky unfortunately sometimes I get the feeling that the company is losing its way because the product is getting more and more bloated with extra features that are not so much the focus of AV protection (it may be a tactic to make extra money from customers, or it really has no such intention but is going down this path of bloat).

I don't think this is a problem of Kaspersky in particular but from the industry in general, you see this in every segment of the security industry, F-secure and VPN, passwords managers, VPN offering AVs services, etc. I belong to the time when AGV was an excellent firewall and just a firewall.

So this is a problem in general, not just for Kaspersky, but for every company.

 

[Guilhermesene]

I don't think this is a problem of Kaspersky in particular but from the industry in general, you see this in every segment of the security industry, F-secure and VPN, passwords managers, VPN offering AVs services, etc. I belong to the time when AGV was an excellent firewall and just a firewall.

So this is a problem in general, not just for Kaspersky, but for every company.

I agree in parts, you are right when you say that the vast majority of the market is like this but I am looking for the VPN in ESET and I can't find it. Why is that?

 

[Freud2004]

The interesting thing about ESET is that it really is a lean product, constantly updated and that you don't even notice plans by the company to put these applications considered as “bloatware” or "crapware" (they could even do that, even more in this time of global financial crisis because of the coronavirus, as a way to earn extra money from customers for example), but no, they don't, the product remains simple, lean, with the focus on protection that always was

I have 47 years and in the beginning, these two companies Eset and Kaspersky release products that were completely revolutionary, much more aggressive in disinfection of an OS and much more light than the big titans, Mcafee and Norton.

Kaspersky bet on new technology in new forms of detection in a very aggressive AV against any type of malware, Eset goes for the light of the application in the system, during many years if you have an older system and whant an AV top of the line, Eset was the solution.

In this new age, many other companies became big players, and constitute them selfs as an alternative to these two companies, F-secure ( 7 years ago it has a very bad solution), Bitdefender grows a lot, etc.

So, to survive with the new competitors, and to offer the same services these companies start offering the same services and ESET will not be an exception in this field, is just a question of time.

 

[Guilhermesene]

I have 47 years and in the beginning, these two companies Eset and Kaspersky release products that were completely revolutionary, much more aggressive in disinfection of an OS and much more light than the big titans, Mcafee and Norton.

Kaspersky bet on new technology in new forms of detection in a very aggressive AV against any type of malware, Eset goes for the light of the application in the system, during many years if you have an older system and whant an AV top of the line, Eset was the solution.

In this new age, many other companies became big players, and constitute them selfs as an alternative to these two companies, F-secure ( 7 years ago it has a very bad solution), Bitdefender grows a lot, etc.

So, to survive with the new competitors, and to offer the same services these companies start offering the same services and ESET will not be an exception in this field, is just a question of time.

I was from the Norton and Windows 95 days. Back then Norton ruled, sometimes I miss that time.

I think that one day or another ESET will also have to implement some of these types of products as VPNs, as you said because of the financial and market issues, but I hope that day never comes.

See, this is not a negative criticism of Kaspersky, because I am using it on my machine at the moment and I talk a lot with @harlan4096 about it. All that is being discussed here in this topic from my point of view are positive constructive criticism and opinions about the product, after all everyone wants the product to have an excellent performance.

 

[amirr]

In KIS, I also turn off all these:




I also want to evaluate if it's a necessity to keep System Watcher on.
If no malware enters my PC, is this necessary to keep System Watcher on?

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

In KIS, I also turn off all these:
View attachment 262442

View attachment 262443

I also want to evaluate if it's a necessity to keep System Watcher on.
If no malware enters my PC, is this necessary to keep System Watcher on?

Sorry, but you bought a full internet security product and then keep turning off all its features.
Didn't you buy the wrong product?

 

[Guilhermesene]

Sorry, but you bought a full internet security product and then keep turning off all its features.
Didn't you buy the wrong product?

I confess that I didn't understand the logic of this either. Maybe this is something that should be studied by NASA

 

[marcopaone]

In KIS, I also turn off all these:
View attachment 262442

View attachment 262443

I also want to evaluate if it's a necessity to keep System Watcher on.
If no malware enters my PC, is this necessary to keep System Watcher on?

Do not disable the System Watcher!

 

[amirr]

Sorry, but you bought a full internet security product and then keep turning off all its features.
Didn't you buy the wrong product?

Those features are excess, and I consider them software bloat. I always keep things simple based on my actual needs.

 

[amirr]

KIS is very cool however it contains things I don't need like
Software Updater
Anti Notifications
Anti-Spam
Application management
Private Browsing
There is also a bad thing with Kaspersky, which is installing Kaspersky VPN by default with the program without asking for the option to allow or deny, as in the password management program, and it must be deleted and restarted computer

I totally agree with you. I have been using KIS since its very version 6, released on 2006.