[FREEBIE] Kaspersky AntiVirus is Now Free - Comments Page 2

I'd rather trust Kaspersky than American software in view of what we know about American snooping.

This is naive. The only question about the US gov't removing Kaspersky is why they ever used it in the first place.
I'm sure it works very well. Which makes it popular and wanted. But no matter how good it is on a daily basic and how free of any apparent malicious code it may be, it only takes once.
Kaspersky updates the program just like every other anti-virus does, and it only takes once.
One night, one line of killer code is added to an update and every computer in the US that uses it is toast. What's to stop them?

Greg Lewis makes good points.

But I don't know Eugene Kaspersky, not personally, so not well enough. And I've nothing against Russians as a group. Russian culture has given the world priceless arts, literature, philosophy, theology, and science.

But I have Russian friends and acquaintances, and there are so many consistencies in their accounts of their lives in the Soviet Union, and later, Russia.

As to our own government, I agree with everything Greg said about the military industrial complex, and I'll add the global empire, and the American Empire which sits atop it.

My decisions about Kaspersky are not vis-a-vis America. They're about not adding another possible problem to my life, or the lives of others.

I have tried many and Kapersky is by far the best. Never had any of the problems mentioned above (locking down apps, slowing computer) and it consistently outscores all the rest and I have been using it for several years now. I'm less worried about the Russian government in my computer than I am about ours, Google, Microsoft.....and I'm not worried about them either. Paranoia only gets you so far and really, in what reality are you perfectly protected? People used to build fallout shelters. What a waste of time and money that was. Now they buy guns because they think they are going to hold out against the might of the US armed forces. Balderdash!

Why would any US citizen trust a Russia-based anti-virus software company? In my opinion, that's like a lamb going to the slaughter thinking it's a free meal.

"One night, one line of killer code is added to an update and every computer in the US that uses it is toast. What's to stop them?"

And what's to stop America doing the same with McAfee?

I can certainly recommend Sophos's free software.

My institutional clients - public and private - have relied on it for many years. I used the "standalone" version made available to me by universities, and now I use Sophos Home, which lets you use it on ten computers.

You'll get false positives, but the good stuff does that, and they're not hard to deal with, or work around.

Since security is the principal concern, I should add that I've taught courses in digital security for 19 years.

We can still have extraordinary security if we'll accept three things. First, security and convenience are opposed, so we sacrifice one for the other. Second, even though virtually every product and service any American citizen might need can be had for free, you have to do a lot of research and reading, and then there's still a lot to learn. Third, anything can change at any time, so you have to keep up with what's going on, and that's a lot of work, too, and it never ends.

For me, it began with building a Linux system for anything that really, REALLY needs to be secure.

Confused I am. The page says it is available for USA and Canada now. When I go to the download page I see a click here to download. Clicked it about 10 times and nothing happened. Odd.

I too tried Kaspersky but had lock out problems and gave up on it. I do however use Kaspersky Password manager. This may be dangerous but I'm not sure. I had problems getting it to work properly when first installed but they're tech people worked with me off and on for several weeks and were able to locate and correct the problem. Since then I have had no problems. This may not be safe but I have to do something with passwords because I am unable to remember all of them. Other programs I tried did not work well.

I have used, sold and supported Kaspersky for many years, since I finally got worn out on Symantec. The Kaspersky Small Business and Enterprise versions are great. I don't like or recommend the personal versions, too many maintenance issues.

Eugene Kaspersky offered the source code for the software to the US government. If they took the source, examined it, compiled it and compared file sizes and checksums, wouldn't that prove there is nothing malicious? They can't be bothered because it would disprove their own prejudices.

Until *proven* otherwise I intend to continue on my path with Kaspersky.

@ Mark Bennett Just because Kaspersky software is free of malware or backdoors now doesn't mean they can't be "snuck" in with a seemingly harmless update. Microsoft is a perfect example of how that can happen.

@ Greg Lewis My issues with Kaspersky software have nothing to do with the Russian people. It's the Russian government I don't trust, especially with their increasing cybersnooping activities. Mr. Kaspersky may be an upstanding person but that doesn't mean the Russian government couldn't force him to install malware or backdoors via an update or even just do it themselves.

I'm really glad Kaspersky is offering a free antivirus program. I have been using Kaspersky AV for over eight years, and I love it. I have never had a malware problem. I always check my download applications with K before I install them even if I go to reliable sites.I will probably continue to use the paid version after mine expires next year. I find it very reasonably priced, and K always offers a good discount for renewal. Thank you Bob for letting people know of Kaspersky's free AV offer.

Elwood P. Dowd: Please give my regards to Harvey.

Bob: Will Kaspersky "play nice" with MBAM? An important point for me.

Thanks for the interesting Geekly Update. Always something there for everyone.

As an electronics engineer (for many decades), I have [NOT] been using Kaspersky.
As an experienced PC user (circa IBM PC XT), I have [NEVER] solely relied on a paid (or free) Anti-Virus (AV) program.
I have been to the seediest/darkest corners of the web (and back); I can honestly say that I have never lost one single bit of my data and never been irrecoverably exposed to any type of virus or a hack.
As the American Psychologist Abraham Maslow once stated "If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail." Yet a bigger hammer is not necessarily always the best (or the only other) tool, in the shop!
Ever since the first release of the Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) about 9 years ago; I think I spent more time writing this reply than I spend babysitting any AV program. Yes, we can spend hours upon hours discussing the subtle nuances of alternative A/V programs. Yet, it does not mean that the built-in Microsoft “Defender” AV (especially in Windows 10) should be ignored in any AV program discussions, recommendations, comparisons or endorsements.

Dang Right! I am totally paranoid about my digital security protection; as all of us should be! Alas, the installation of an AV program alone should never be construed as having the proper/complete defenses for security protection.

Pretty sad to see so many comments here proving that propaganda works. So even the 'smart' ones... the DP types - fall for it. Have you seen ANY EVIDENCE of Russia meddling? No, you haven't. Have you seen all the documentation of US meddling in everyone else's country and elections?? Yes. You have. Over and over. But you fall for the cia-rooted propaganda to start another war.
What a sad country.

@Carol Shin Get your head out of the sand. There is plenty evidence of Russian meddling; it's been going on for years. Yes, the U.S. is just about as guilty, same as for dozens of other countries. No matter where I lived, while I would prefer no government snooping at all, snooping from my own government would be preferable to snooping from a government that is hostile to mine.

@CarolShin, I am venturing to guess that most readers here are American citizens.
I take it personal when you start bad mouthing my country in this way. There is absolutely no need for it, especially when your post is as myopic and shallow as yourself!

I urge the site operator to delete her flaming post, at once!

Butch: I passed along your best regards to Harvey and he's deeply touched that you remembered him.

RandiO: Good calls on Maslow's Hammer and "more is better." I've caught myself in both. And I, too, like Defender, especially since it gets along with so many other programs.

As to paranoia, you're not paranoid if they're really out to get you, and they are.

And I have to mention behavioral exploits because some of the worst malware depends on us inviting it in. Lots of trouble starts with hurrying, excitement, distraction, impatience, anxiety, assumptions, and misplaced trust.

Bob, I will be curious as to any responses you give in a future posting about this being a Russian based company.