Kaspersky Total Security

[#1]

I currently use Kaspersky Total Security on my main PC and a laptop with 55 days left on the licence.

In the light of recent and ongoing news about alleged Russian involvement in cyber attacks I am seriously considering changing my security software.

It's unfortunate that Kaspersky consistently tops the charts.

Many sources of informed opinion give it a clean bill of health providing it is not used in sensitive areas of industry, commerce or security.

I'm not involved in any of those areas.

A recent report on Windows Defender says that it has 'come of age' now and competes well with 'paid for' offerings and is certainly as good as any freebie if not better.

Seeing as it is pre-installed with my windows 10, I may as well un-install Kaspersky at the end of its licence period and release Windows Defender to do its stuff.

Any thoughts guys?

[#2]

My thoughts are that it's the best thing you could do @Strat and I'm willing to wager with a proper and complete uninstall that you'll notice a marked improvement in the performance of your PC.

[#3]

I hope it's not likened to bin-men emptying 1 in every 5  bins on a road.

They would get the job done so much quicker but less effectively.

[#4]

Windows Defender also known as Microsoft Security Essentials, works for me.... use to be an AVG fan... then went to Avast and Avira... but they kept on nagging me... so thought I`d give Windows/mse a go... doesn`t nag me, and seems to be doing its job... and updates as normal, automatically, or at your behest...

[#5]

I personally think that the anti Kaspersky rhetoric is a US inspired anti Russian stitch up. Kaspersky have offered responsible organisations access to their source code, what else can they do?

Of course you can assume that the Russian government uses Kaspersky to try to keep out western hacking events as well as well as protecting us in the west, but that doesn't make them the bad guys.

We need to accept that the world is full of organisations that will try to damage our economic well being but I would guess that it would be just as easy to hijack and insert nasties into western security systems as to use Kaspersky. I shall stick with them.

[#6]

In the light of recent events isn't there more of a reason to distrust the software?

[#7]

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@Baldrick1 wrote:

...

We need to accept that the world is full of organisations that will try to damage our economic well being but I would guess that it would be just as easy to hijack and insert nasties into western security systems as to use Kaspersky.

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I guess we haven't scratched the surface yet regarding what we know is happening or is possible in the espionage world; e.g. as in the alleged case of the Chinese government managing to get spy-chips inserted into server hardware used by some Western organisations.

[#8]

@shutter

I use the free version of Avira and it doesn't seem to be nagware to me. An occasional reminder of the value of its paid version is not really intrusive. Also, it does detect possible malware that Windows Defender seems to overlook.

[#9]

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@Anonymous wrote:

In the light of recent events isn't there more of a reason to distrust the software?

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What recent events are these? Are you suggesting that Kaspersky software writers are going around putting poison on peoples door knobs?

[#10]

OK @Baldrick1, I'll take the bait.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45746837

I guess you've been busy.

[#11]

May be the big players in the world of cyber crime aren't interested in a big old retired Lab Tech/Plumber/Welder/IT Tech from Yorkshire.

As I mentioned, Windows Defender previously had a poor reputation but of recent times has been given a robust make-over and apart from the odd false positive, catches just about every nasty thrown at it.

Even the best aren't guaranteed 100% and it only takes one bit of malware to rob you of a life's work or savings.

Good points on both sides. I'll need a think.

[#12]

@Strat Baco Foil comes in useful for hats and underpants... ( or you could re-cover your chair seat, if that appeals better ! ) ..

[#13]

There is a well known solution that doesn't include the use of lots of bloatware.

[#14]

@VileReynard Yeah.... we all know that ..... it`s called .... "don`t use the internet "!

[#15]

I got rid of Avast, because of its continual nags to upgrade, and now use Bitdefender, which has found a couple of doubtfuls. With Malwarebytes Premium in addition I feel quite safe.

What follows is OT. A reporter in the DT was [-Censored-]-a-hoop over the incompetence of the GRU operators disclosed in Netherlands. I'm thinking could the incompetence be a ruse to misdirect from anything more insidious or potentially more damaging? I wonder if attention on Kapersky has similar traits.