Kaspersky replaces Free Antivirus with Security Cloud Free
Internet users who try to download the free antivirus solution Kaspersky Free Antivirus from the Russian security company are redirected to the Kaspersky Security Cloud Free download page instead.
The Russian company released Kaspersky Free Antivirus in 2016 to select regions and began the worldwide rollout of the free software program in 2017.
The free antivirus solution evolved over time, in no small part caused by changing requirements of computer users. Kaspersky Free evolved to a different program and Kaspersky made (German blog article) the decision to change the name to better reflect the program's functionality.
Kaspersky Security Cloud Free was born and it has replaced the classic Antivirus Free solution already on the Kaspersky website.
Note: While Kaspersky Free Antivirus is no longer available, it is still working and Kaspersky revealed that it has no immediate plans to stop supporting the program with antivirus definitions. For now, the solution should work just like before.
The classic free antivirus solution offered limited functionality. It included protection against viruses and could protect emails and web browsing next to that. Upgrades were available to add more protections and security tools.
Kaspersky Security Cloud Free offers comparable functionality for the most part. Core differences include that the solution is also available for the mobile operating systems Android and iOS, and that the VPN service Kaspersky Secure Connection is included automatically (but limited to 200 Megabytes per day of traffic).
Android users may use the free version to manage application permissions and remove unwanted apps from the device.
Kaspersky integrated additional tools into the application. Many of these are reserved for the commercial personal or family plans but some are available in the free version. Tools that are provided to free users include a file shredder to securely delete files, a utility to clean unused data or activity traces, and a Windows troubleshooter designed to analyse the impact that a successful malware attack had on a system.
Closing Words
Free remains free, that is a good thing especially since Kaspersky Free Antivirus users will continue to receive signature updates for the application for the time being.
When I see cloud, I assume that more data flows between the application and servers on the Internet. Whether that is the case here as well remains to be seen. Free users don't really get more functionality, apart from the barely usable free version of Secure Connection, some tools, and the mobile apps.
Now You: What is your take on the change? (via Born)
AV? No cloud!
kaspersky replaces https certicates with their own to scan for malware, which means they know your website passwords and any encrypted traffic
jesus christ, event we chinese people don’t 360. it provides data to chinese government. It monitors any VPN software in your PC. I was shocked when I heard you people use 360….
do you have any chinese friend? ask them about 360 company…
this company will provide any data to chinese government without any hesitate. government actually controls this company.
worry other antivirus softwares steal your data sneakily? 360 steal your data publicly in china.
anyone familiar with PC don’t use 360 softwares. in china only computer noob use 360.
In my view, a piece of software going cloud-only is identical to a piece of software no longer existing.
How is possible the local ghack expert on russia and russian govt approved software is not present in this piece? Where art thou, o Juliet?
I would stay it away – not only because its russian but also because AV software (along with Windows Defender) is not trustworthy anymore nowadays.
You stirred up some anti-Russian sentiment with this one (albeit without intent).
According to Wikipedia, Kaspersky is a multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provider headquartered in Moscow, Russia[1] and operated by a holding company in the United Kingdom.
Kaspersky have an enviable reputation, generally finishing at or near top of independent AV tests every year. Would that make them a target for unscrupulous companies to spread rumours?
These tools belong to early ’00. Currently there is absolutely no need to use anything other than Windows Defender and Standard user account for daily usage.
Whats your take on Avira Free Antivirus as an alternative to Kaspersky?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G35dmyEvinM
Kaspersky reported Russia puppet.
Me installing antivirus 360 Total Security free give best measure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LETVtl8DX3I
Kaspersky action stopping malware good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiVD7fHJgiQ
I trust Kaspersky this measure.
I haven’t tried Security Cloud Free, but I’ve tried Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool (free) which gives you an alert popup when you’re offline, saying you are not protected while offline. That’s fine except when I play games offline that alert popup stops my game play and thus sometimes freezes my system.
That alert comes on about 20 minutes after I go offline, and I know I’m offline, so it’s rather useless.
One solution is to you can shut down the Kaspersky GUI before going offline, but I still think they need a game/suspend mode like other similar software has.
Also, Kaspersky has popup ads, which is expected for free services, but I’ve found better solutions that have less ads that don’t cause issues with my offline game play.
That said, I assume Security Cloud Free has this same popup feature, which is a deal breaker for me.
Yet if you do not game offline, then Kaspersky is likely a legit choice for free solutions. Also, I see Security Cloud Free does not have ransomware protection, so I guess some users will also want to install Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool (free).
Note that Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool (free) has a “home” version and a “business” version, which seems to be exactly the same (I’ve tested both) except you need to register the “business” version with an email account.
To sum this up, I keep trying to find better free solutions, but 360 TS is still the best IMO, as it has no popup ads, includes ransomeware protection, includes a sandbox, has 3 antivirus engines: 2 on system (Avira & Bitdefender) and one cloud, and 360 TS is not a resource hog. The only downside I see to 360 TS is when you open the GUI there are many tricky ads in some sections, but those can be avoided by not installing anything extra.
I use hosts lists etc. but with Defender (yes!) running.
I agree that no undo option is completely unacceptable.
I do regular and separate data and OS backups from a bootable pen so I could restore most files but it would take more time and put me out of the system etc.
So it’s imperative to have an undo option.
The level of trust required of an anti-virus company is beyond any of the current players at the moment, with the exception of maybe Clam AV.
Look at what Avast/AVG have done, are doing, with their massive private data slurping, that can’t be turned off, proven to be non-anonymised, and leaked in to the public, as well as bit-defender with pop-up ads for fully-paid software, Norton and McAfee with government requests. A host of also-rans that do almost nothing, worse in fact that just Windows Defender.
Ultimately a properly configured Pi-Hole device is mandatory for internet use in the current era of persistent corporate, government and state attacks on citizens. Even your internet-connected TV is at it.
I tried Kaspersky Free a while ago and it aggressively ate certain non malicious programs with no recourse to undo the cleaning. Even Windows Defender/ Microsoft Security Essentials have an undo option that always works so this is completely unacceptable as far as I’m concerned.
I recall the undo function of Windows Security (Defender) of years ago. However maybe a week or so I tried it again with a full scan, and it deleted a test file virus without asking and without an undo option. Maybe my user error but I do not think so.
Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.18363.535]
Microsoft Windows Security 1.307.1352.0
@Jozsef
Are you talking about “Security Cloud Free”?
I don’t use antivirus software anymore. A good hosts list or adblocker or pi-hole does prevent tracking and blocks fake sites with ransomware, viruses, etc.
cloud shit? k, thx, bye.
a local (on demand) scanner with good definition support is all id ever need.
all this system integration opens more doors then closes.
The most dangerous antivirus, from the “former”, Russian officer.
In second place are Nod32 and Dr.Web.
You do not live in Russia, you do not know how dangerous freedom of speech and dissent are.
Example: – Alexey Navalny, Khodorkovsky.
Do not use Kaspersky, Dr.Web, Nod32 products.
Do not use Russian products at all.
Only Europe and USA.
Nod 32 (ESET) is based in EU. It is slovakain product, not russian. Learn something about geography before you comment.
NOD32 (made by ESET) is not a Russian product, and never was.
“Example: – Alexey Navalny, Khodorkovsky.”
They work for the US, UK, Israel. Don’t be naive.
I wonder how all these “living in mom’s basement”-security EXPERTS feel about ROSA Linux? Shouldn’t it get a massive s**tstorm just like Deepin Linux did, based only on its country of origin? Oh and how about Pardus Linux, from Turkey? SURELY that one hates freedom and wants to decapitate you as well? The bad part about tinfoilhats is that they only block facts and truths..oh and one looks ridiculous wearing one. You know, foreign governments really really don’t care if you search online for amish porn and meth recipes.
…aluminum foil on your head and no problem!
@Night Flower, Europe doesn’t have free speech, only America.
People are sent to prison in European countries (Germany, United Kingdom, Sweden, etc.) for saying/posting speech that the state deems wrongthink.
Ironically, Russia was the only country to provide safe haven for Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who exposed the NSA worldwide spying operation (especially on American citizens, since James Clapper had previously LIED to the U.S. Congress, saying that the NSA didn’t spy on Americans, when the NSA DID spy on American).
And if you want to talk about political assasinations, google Seth Rich (DNC source to Wikileaks, the only person Wikileaks offered a reward for information about his death).
@notanon
Hmm, so you have have a thing for right-wing conspiracy theories.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Seth_Rich
Also, as with devotees as you, you have your own crazy definitions of “free speech” and such. Thus it’s impossible to even have a conversation with you, as you have put up so many extreme and delusional walls.
And how do I know?.. Because I read your mind. Ha.
So enjoy your self-made prison, as it’s exactly what “they” want from puny pawns as you.
@Pajeet,
You can have a conversation with anyone, that’s what free speech is. But of course you can’t have a conversation with me, because you don’t talk to anyone outside your echo chamber.
Seth Rich was shot, the Washington D. C. Police says it was a robbery, but NOTHING was taken.
There is police cam video, but the D. C. police department refuses to release the video to the public.
In the leaked e-mails, obtained by Wikileaks, of the Democratic National Party (DNC), John Podesta (Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager) is asked if they should “make an example” out of someone they “believe” is the DNC leaker. Days later, Seth Rich (who worked for the DNC) is killed in a “robbery” in which NOTHING was taken.
Wikileaks offered a reward for any information in Seth Rich’s murder. Wikileaks had never before (or since) offered a reward for information on the death of anyone.
NSA spying was a “conspiracy theory” until Edward Snowden revealed it was a FACT. The mainstream media lies all the time, because 5 corporations own nearly all of mainstream media.
Alternative media is growing, while the mainstream media canabalizes itself, because people are tired of being lied to. Tired of being told the Mueller report would prove Trump is a russian pawn (the Mueller report was the most expansive investigation in American history and found all the Left’s conspiracy theories were false).
Now that the Mueller report is out, everyone knows the MSM lies, & that’s why Trump’s support has risen. That’s why the LEFT continues to lose, because you can only lie for so long, until your lies catch up to you.
There’s a reason the NPC meme is so funny, because it’s TRUE. The LEFT is full of NPCs who can’t think for themselves. It’s the LEFT that has created “safe spaces” because the LEFT has a “self-made prison” (your words), LOL.
You’re another NPC, in 10 years, everyone will look back and laugh about how stupid you are.
id rather get spied by usa then by russia. wanna feel the difference:
write a negative page1 article about putin / trump
case1 : happy gulag times
case2 : someshitstorms . id chose case 2.
hahahaha only use very weak antiviruses (only from usa with spy) hahaha
all US products spy on users >>> ever never trust any product come from usa , uk
antiviruses ,vpn ,social media ,etc ……………
+1
Martin, why mention “Russian” company twice at the very beginning of the article???
Are you implying something?
There’s no “Russian conspiracy” going on in antivirus, LOL.
The United Nations tasked Kaspersky to investigate the Stuxnet virus.
The United Nations could have asked any company in the world to investigate the Stuxnet virus, but they chose Kaspersky, because they are competent and trustworthy.
But somehow, because Kaspersky is based in Russia, it’s part of the “Russian conspiracy” narative constantly pushed by the left-wing establishment.
Ghack is a tech site, it should be politically agnostic.
“Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Stay on point, just tech news please.
This is just information, nothing more. Russia is a country and Kaspersky is based in Russia, that is all.
I ignore politics, religion and several other controversial topics on this site (unless it is required for a story).
Martin, thanks for the reply!
Okay, I must have been “triggered”, LOL.
My apology.
“it’s part of the “Russian conspiracy†narative constantly pushed by the left-wing establishment”
Everything is a “part” of everything at some level. Point being, your “left-wing establishment” assertion is a moot thing to bring up here, especially in the context of promoting the idea that we should to be “politically agnostic”.
That fact is, the US government has banned Kaspersky, with the blessing from both right and left politics, media, and corporations.
Perhaps that move was justified, perhaps not. I don’t know, nor do I care to obsess over it with theories.
That said, I guess the only conspiracy here is that you and your like-minded devotees act as if you know what you don’t know.
@Pratibha, Kaspersky is NOT banned by the blessing of the right and left.
Pajeet, what kind of BS are you talking about?
Kaspersky is not part of the culture war.
The LEFT is pushing the “Russian conspiracy theory”, because the LEFT can’t accept Donald Trump was voted President of the United States in the 2016 Presidential Election.
Every great nation needs 3 things, Energy independence, Food independence, Military superiority. America has all 3. The LEFT doesn’t serve any of these roles, they are parasites, who look down on everyone one else from their ivory tower (proven by your comment), but the LEFT is blind and stupid.
Everything the LEFT owns doesn’t contribute anything to America’s future. The RIGHT are the soldiers in our military, the farmers who grow our food, and the oil/gas/coal companies/workers that provide our energy.
In the end, the right owns what matters, & the left owns nothing.
The election of Trump is the beginning of the end for the left.
And the more authoritarian the left becomes in a desperate attempt to control EVERYTHING, the more they will continue to alienate EVERYONE and lose the EVERYTHING.
Enjoy President’s Trump 2020 victory, because the LEFT’s paranoia and hate will drive Trump’s victory and the continued counter-culture against the authoritarian LEFT.
I would recommended Kaspersky cloud over Windows defender which I have used for years until very recently. The problem with Windows Defender is frequency of false positive. I think it is overly sensitive which is fine, but as an amateur programmer, I dislike how Windows Defender whitelist philosophy which really tags everything “suspicious” including my non signed C++ programs.
Kaspersky cloud seems to have more pratical heuristics so it is better with regards to false positives. You can also disable almost everything if you want like disconnecting from the cloud network, and disable their internet scans. They moved their data center to Switzerland if that eases any people’s concerns.
Are you aware Kaspersky moved to Switzerland?
Obviously not.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2018/05/15/kaspersky-lab-moving-russia-combat-kremlin-spy-fears/
I read about it and think it is a good move. It is still based in Russia unless I’m mistaken.
I have used Kaspersky Free for the last couple of years and found it very good. I started using it after reading Martin’s report about it. The Kaspersky Secure Connection is part of the package but is just a ‘teaser’ program which can either be disabled on startup or uninstalled separately (which is what I’ve done).
More recently updates to Kaspersky have prompted me to install their free Password Manager program which I’ve declined – I can forget my passwords quite efficiently without anyone else’s assistance.
From a purely operational viewpoint I’ve found it easy to deal with – it doesn’t bug you with adverts (cf. AVAST/ AVG Free) and the only issue I’ve found has been with it recently when it has apparently been the cause of a niggle with Thunderbird where it has caused Thunderbird to prompt for occasional program updates that don’t actually exist… and issue that I have put up with, hoping an update to one or other program might resolve the matter.
I have stuck with the original Kaspersky Free and haven’t change to the Kaspersky Security Cloud – I’ve continued to get program and signature updates regularly. Other than the Thunderbird ‘issue’ I’ve found it to be a good program that ‘sticks to its knitting’ and doesn’t get in your face. On the other hand, there are conspiracy theorists… well, they must be allowed their points of view as well, I suppose.
Same. I’ve stuck with the original Kaspersky Free as well as Security Cloud requires an account, whereas Kaspersky Free doesn’t require one.
Kaspersky Free Antivirus 2018 version is available here: https://products.s.kaspersky-labs.com/
And Kaspersky Free Antivirus 2019 version is available here: https://products.s.kaspersky-labs.com/homeuser/kis2019/19.0.0.1088a/english-GB-0.1248.0/United%20Kingdom(en-GB)/kis19.0.0.1088aen_14170.exe
Hallo Martin,
I a sure that the Americans are as bad as the Soviet-Uni (You know back in the USSR) when we talk about spying and trying to influence us, to get there way. I am even quit sure that users will get a more fairer deal, with the Russians.
I ask myself does this https connection has any encryption algorithms? And is this connection encrypted maybe AES-256 or perhaps AES-128?
How secure are all the users there information streams in the cloud. Like are there also encrypted internally? Do they use write zero or DoD 5220.22-M to delete your files?
I do not here you about all those points so I am quit sure that I am not touching this software.
I could not find information about technical details. The “What is Kaspersky Secure Connection” page provides no technical data unfortunately: https://support.kaspersky.com/13494#block1
The main site states that the service does not log online activity and website visits.
I testet Kaspersky Free in January 2019 and I was very surprized how bad it was. It gets great results from many tests, but it is very unstable and I find it useless. Kaspersky Free installs two processes (Kaspersky Secure Connection and Kaspersky Free) that run in the background. Much too heavy for antivirus. I could not reccommend it for anyone. Has it got any better?
The extra process from Kaspersky Secure Connnection is because you installed the bundled VPN that comes with the antivirus. You can uninstall Secure Connection.
I am skeptical of a Kaspersky Security Cloud solution. The US government has internally banned prior Kaspersky solutions, and if justified, makes a cloud solution even more problematic. We will see what the experts say in the future..
chesscanoe: Yes, indeed, because Kasperksy refused to provide data to US Government. I trust it even more. At least only one country receives data, Russia that is.
@chesscanoe, the United Nations trusts Kaspersky, because they chose Kaspersky to investigate the Stuxnet virus.
The NSA banned Furbies, so by your definition, Furbies are “problematic”?
@chesscanoe I am very skeptical towards all software coming out from USA, with all backdoors for NSA, CIA, FBI, Pentagon and so on….let us see what the future bring us……
@stefann:
Your skepticism is warranted (although, as a developer of security software for a US company myself, I can attest to the fact that not all US companies include such weaknesses or backdoors. Mine absolutely doesn’t.)
However, if you limit your skepticism to only US companies, then you have a huge security blind spot. The US is far from the only nation that engages in such nonsense. You should be skeptical of all software, regardless of where it came from.
@stefann
Maybe not trust either of them?
Well the main difference is that the previous Free version could be used without any Kaspersky accounts. The cloud edition forces you to make an account.
@Martin, can you confirm what @md is saying?
Do you need a Kaspersky account for the FREE Kaspersky Cloud?
I know you need a Kaspersky account to activate the paid features in Kaspersky Cloud.
Yes it is true, a free account (that is not verified it appears) is required.
Thanks for the reply Martin!
Kaspersky Cloud Free + required Kaspersky account = :(