Kaspersky

Internet security solutions usually bear a richer plethora of layers of protection than traditional antivirus software, by attaching antispam, antispyware, privacy protection and parental control modules to the regular antivirus engine.

This kind of computer protection guarantees a click-happy experience, away from threats that may arise from the Internet, email attachments, USB drives, corrupted files or unsecured wireless connections.

Kaspersky Internet Security doesn’t fall short of these features, boasting all the capabilities you need to stay on the safe side all the time. While delivering state of the art protection from viruses and Trojans, the suite also encases protection technologies against online threats and phishing attacks, shielding your identity from malicious websites. Its cloud-based engine allows it to gather information on the latest threats, thus making sure that your computer is equipped with the appropriate defense against cyber malware.

The installation process takes a while and in order to be able to run the application properly, a restart may be required in some cases. The first encounter with the application’s interface is pleasant, it has a clean look and an organized control panel that can be located in the lower area of the GUI. This is actually the section that incorporates all the protection modules, namely: a Scanning component, Parental Control, Safe Run for applications, Safe Run for Websites, Network Monitor, Applications Activity and Quarantine.

The suite can run four different scan types: a Full Scan (thoroughly analyzes all the files on all of the disks), a Critical Areas Scan (analyzes objects that are loaded at system startup or added by user), a Vulnerability Scan (detects and removes security vulnerabilities) and a Custom Scan mode that allows you to manually select the locations to be analyzed. The scanning speed is decent and a successful scanning process returns a detailed report on the threats that have been encountered, together with the recommended actions.

The Parental Control feature enables you to manage the amount of time your children spend on the computer and to control their communication habits when using Instant Messaging applications via a set of predefined rules.

With the aid of the Safe Run modules, you may launch applications or websites in a virtual and insolated environment. The firewall includes VPN and Wi-Fi connections protection plus an intrusion prevention system against hacker attacks.

The Tools section includes a Rescue Disk feature (allows you to create a bootable CD that contains tools for detecting malware), a Privacy Cleaner (removes browser history, cache and logs), a Windows troubleshooting component (detects damaged settings caused by malware) and a Browser Configuration feature (analyzes Internet Explorer settings from security viewpoint) .

Overall, Kaspersky Internet Security is an excellent choice for users that have a rich Internet activity. On top of a decent antivirus engine, it sports a collection of protection tools that targets online malware and phishing, parental control and application virtualization.