Customer Reviews

Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 (3 User)

5 star:		(124)
4 star:		(47)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(44)

 

 

As background, I've used quite a few internet security suites: ZoneAlarm, Norton, McAfee, OneCare, and previous Kaspersky products. With Kaspersky, I've come to expect a product that is top-tier for protection, but requires some technical understanding to configure. Its actually why I stopped using the previous version - While I have a technical background, I really don't want to spend my time on a computer configuring the security software, I want to use the PC.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 is a complete change, and even manages to improve the protection in the process. First, the Automatic Mode (where Kaspersky takes care of new applications, internet connections, etc.) is now worth using in my opinion. This takes a lot of the "manual" work out of the picture.

Kaspersky licensed technology from Bit9 in this release for whitelisting. Whitelisting is using a list of "known good" applications that can be trusted to go to the internet. For example, Microsoft's Internet Explorer is a known piece of software, so it can be trusted. For applications not on the whitelist, the software determines from its actions if it may be malicious, and categorizes them as such (and therefore, pays more attention to them). What does this mean for you? Less overhead using applications it knows it can trust - Faster browsing, using your PC, etc.

Finally, the last addition that I think is perfect is the security analysis it performs during full scans. Besides checking for viruses, malware, etc., it also checks your applications to see if there are known, patchable vulnerabilities. One of the most prevalent ways bad stuff gets on your PC these days is through unpatched "holes" in software. Kaspersky will alert you to these holes, so you can patch them before someone can get to your computer. An ounce of prevention being better than a pound of cure, so to speak (although with Kaspersky, you get both).

I have no noticeable slowdown on my machine, the product is using less than 25MB of RAM presently, and I know I have one of the best security products protecting my data. I highly recommend this product!

Starting originally with Norton Internet Security I've been through recent versions of just about every popular programs out there: McCafee, System Works (with some other thing added to it), Bitdefender, Trend Micro PcCillin. The complaints from me are always the same: Too intrusive! These people just don't understand that my business and life don't revolve around maintaining my computer. They hang up the system at inconvenient times. They pop up annoyingly when I'm in the middle of something. The auto update has to be totally turned off because it is constantly taking over computer resources. Everything runs slow as molasses while the security program is loaded. System start up takes forever.

Reading reviews, I discovered that the NEW Norton Internet Security had been redesigned and was no longer the memory hog I had experienced earlier. But there were other reasons why I hated Norton IS: First, it would only protect 1 computer and I have 3, whereas other companies are reasonable about the fact that one owner should not have to pay full license fee for both desktop and laptops (I think Norton may now have met the competition on this). Second, instead of giving you a reduced price for an upgrade, Norton has this scam where you pay full price and then have to spend an hour filling in rebate forms, copying the bars on the side and the receipt. To top it off, Norton denied my last rebate after giving me very little time to turn it in and I missed their deadline by a few days (Believe me, I was more irate over the time lost than the money and they lost themselves a customer!) Lastly, I went to Norton's website to see if the SPAM protection was compatible with Thunderbird (one of the most common email programs), and could find no technical information whatsoever -- just sales fluff (I had already been burned on Trend Micro because they claimed to support Thunderbird, but did not support it for SPAM protection -- in fact, with Trend Micro you get no SPAM protection whatsoever unless you use Outlook).

Enter Kaspersky Internet 2009. The first thing I found is that it took almost as little memory as the new Norton IS. It certainly takes less than any of the other IS programs I had used. The second was that their website was quite informative and told me clearly that I would get the Kaspersky toolbar in Thunderbird as well as Outlook (To be sure I downloaded a free trial version and yes, SPAM filtering worked fine in Thunderbird.) Third, it protects three computers for a very reasonble price (and at Best Buy there was a terrific sale which required no time consuming rebate nonsense).

Now, I'm running it like a breath of fresh air. The hourly auto updates are not too intrusive, but if they bother you, it's easy to schedule exactly when you want them (mine are for 2am daily). There seems to be little hesitation when the system loads and no intrusion into my daily work. If it detects an intrusion or virus it lets you know, otherwise the only thing you see is when you first start a new program: a small screen briefly comes up in the left lower corner to let you know that a program is starting and how they classified it. Another reviewer mentioned the "white list" and "black list". These are accessed easily (at least in Thunderbird) by clicking on the Kaspersky icon which is installed in the TBird interface. The console screen which controls Kaspersky is very well organized and easy to understand. They provide a full scan and a quick scan. Both scans seem to get it over with much quicker than other IS programs. I appreciate the fact that, unlike other programs, Kaspersky doesn't scream and yell and pop up warnings because you don't run the full scan whenever it thinks you should, as some programs do (Don't they understand that I'm looking up information for a client on the phone and the last thing I want to do is make them wait a half hour for my IS program to do some thing that can wait til later?)

I highly recommend this program.

If you are successfully using the previous version, stick with it. As a another reviewer noted, you can use the license key with your older version. Great advice. However, if you are using some other brand and are looking for greener grass, keep walking. Kaspersky '09 is a nightmare. My system uses XP with all the latest updates and I'm no novice with computers or security software. Kaspersky '09 does some things very well...like preventing Internet connectivity to most everything. Heck, I can't even get my Yahoo! home page to load with this thing turned on. Even with most features turn off, Internet performance is poor to non-existent. The only time it works properly is when I turn the program completely OFF. After much experimentation, I slicked this monstrosity from my PC, reloaded V7, and used the 2009 key to renew. All is now well. Given many of the reviews of customer (dis)service, I'm not sure I want to make myself less happy with this product than I already am. Stay away...FAR away!

I use Vista 64-bit system, and Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 works very well on it.

Firewall is well configurable, and comes with some advanced features, like packet scanner, as well as virtual keyboard. Spam protection comes with Mozilla Thunderbird support, which is relatively rare.

I've used F-Secure, ESET Smart Security, and numerous other, and while Kaspersky may not be highest in score in some aspect of it, but it is certainly well balanced. (Don't think too much into those scoring, they are affected very much by a lot of factors...)

Please save your money and time. I used Kaspersky Version 7 for a year with no problems, thought I had finally found a security package for me. When it was about to expire, I decided to go for another year and purchase Internet Security 2009 from Amazon (cheaper than Kaspersky site). Imagine my surprise when I spent about 2 days of work time trying to make this right. Installation was filled with errors, which I ignored to continue on. I thought everything was fine and logged off for the night. The next morning my computer started crashing with the blue screen randomly, with the diagnosis pointing to a problem with the anti-virus software. I won't bore you with all the details of the error codes. I tried to do the live chat but was shut down twice. I called Kaspersky support. The 2 guys who helped me there tried and were responsive, no complaints. I had phone support and follow up emails. But I was on a wild goose chase of uninstalling other programs and re-configuring, etc. just to end up with MORE problems. In the end was instructed to do A, B, and C, then uninstall and reinstall Kaspersky. Guess what, back to the initial problem of blue screen crashing after 2 days. I work at home on this computer so I couldn't afford this. I went back to my old Kaspersky, which they told me to do (no problems installing that one), but I was expiring in a couple of days. I tried to get them to give me a code to just activate the older version for a year but they said no codes available. They wouldn't reimburse of course because I purchased through Amazon. I am VERY disappointed. I don't blame the support people but the company for releasing a NEW version that doesn't work with Vista. The least they could do is be able to extend the subscription for the old version. Money out the window. Uninstalled all of it and just have the free AVG antivirus on for now, may go ahead and upgrade to the paid coverage there but I'm a little security package shy right now. I am very disappointed in the company for going downhill in one year. Please note that I'm not the only one with these problems--after the fact I searched and found others (too late), with no resolutions working. Don't waste your money.

I bought Kaspersky in desperation after endless problems with Norton. My Dell-installed Norton ran ok for a while, but then it started flaking out. Tried a reinstall but it would keep claiming my software (original shrink-wrapped official copy) was "beta" and it didn't want to update properly. That was how I discovered that Symantec's help desk is the worst, even by offshore standards. Their only goal was to answer quickly. They'd send me the same uninstall/reinstall procedure, even when I started notes with "Here's what I've tried"! Tried the chat, but the guy forgot me, then when I said "are you stil there?" he realized I'd been on too long for his metrics and disconnected me!

Even though I had time left on Norton, it was time for something else. I found good ratings for Kaspersky vs. Norton and tried a 30 day demo. I had to run tne Norton Uninstall Tool (downloaded from Symantec), then load Kaspersky. Installation was smooth sailing. The first scan was an eye opener -- about 15 vulnerabilities that Norton had not caught. Kaspersky displays a list and a right click takes you straight to the appropriate site for each fix.

Near the end of my trial, I ordered from Amazon which was cheaper than ordering direct. I didn't have to reinstall, just entered the license code on my demo copy and I was good to go. My machine is clean, stable, and maybe even a little faster. Great product!

I had previously used Kaspersky for 2 years (2002-2004) and was very happy with it; it caught a trojan on my system that numerous other programs had missed, and I dealt with customer support several times with no problems whatsoever.

I purchased it again 2 months ago. It is fine at scanning for viruses, trojans, and spyware. Also, it identifies vulnerabilities in software and gives a link to download necessary patches.

The problem is the (now) horrible customer service! A bug has existed between Kaspersky and Firefox for several months; they have been informed repeatedly, but simply let users tell other users how to get around the issue and make the program work regardless. The bug still exists, in other words. Also, they are VERY unfriendly and will quite literally often refuse to help novice-to-average users (such as myself).

When I politely complained about the support and noted my recent trouble, instead of telling me how to fix the most recent issue, I was told "Happy trails"! In other words, they told me to get lost! I had been very polite. If considering this product, check out the huge support forum first, see how many people are complaining, and the usual response to the complaints (rudeness and blaming the consumer). BUYER BEWARE!

By the way, I did take the one moderator up on his offer ("Happy trails") and bought Trend Micro, which I see is now getting better reviews than Kaspersky.

The virus scan is very fast and the updates are automatic. I could work on my laptop as usual when the virus scan is running and it does not slow down the system. No problems observed so far.

The Software loaded Fast. The Software runs Fast. The Software updates Fast.

No Customer Service to call or email.

I loaded it on three computers, I replaced one of my computers with a new Lap Top and could not load it on this one. A Week ago I sent an eMail to the corporate office and have not got a response on how to do it.

GOOD SOFTWARE - - - BAD SUPPORT!!!

I received an e-mail ad from Kaspersky on 12/2/2008 offering $30 off on this product. The ad said the offer was good until Dec 8. I ordered from them on Dec 2 and the company would not honor their ad. I talked to their vendor, Arvato Systems, and asked for a representative to talk to about this, apparently, false ad and they gave me a phone number for contact. No surprise, the number went to a phone robot directing me to a website. No person to talk to. I get the hint. I'm changing to Norton. Too bad since I was using Kaspersky's software and was happy with it, but needed to renew.