Kaspersky Labs rolls out free antivirus software

[Greg S]

Artificial intelligence buzzwords such as "deep learning" and "neural networks" seem to be showing up all of the place these days, and Kaspersky Labs is contributing to this phenomenon. In honor to celebrate the company's 20th anniversary, Kaspersky has released a free version of its antivirus software.

Kaspersky Free ships as a stripped down version of the premium Kaspersky AV software. Unlike the paid version, there are no parental controls, payment protection options, or an included VPN. Therefore, Kaspersky believes that the free version will not compete with their premium offerings which include all of the aforementioned features.

Basic protection against infected files and malicious websites is standard. Removable devices, instant messages and email are scanned before opening incoming files to help prevent phishing and foreign executables from being used as an entry point.

This new sales model follows the likes of successful mobile apps. A full product is free to use, but data collection is where the real value is. Kaspersky is seeking to gain a larger user base, so that they can improve machine learning capabilities for detecting malicious software by collecting threat information from end users.

The free antivirus software is available to everyone today, but language specific versions will not be ready until later this year. See the above map for the projected timeline.

Kaspersky Free is available to download from our software section as well as directly from Kaspersky Labs website where they offer a handful of other free tools.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/70300-kaspersky-labs-rolls-out-free-antivirus-software.html

 

[Uncle Al]

Sorry, no matter how much "better" they become, they will remain tainted by their ownership and stay less desireable .....

 

[dirtyferret]

Sorry, no matter how much "better" they become, they will remain tainted by their ownership and stay less desireable .....

Ve have no ties to the Russian Government comrade Al, just ask our new CEO Vladimir Mutin...

 

[Puiu]

And they used to be considered some of the best in the past, a company you could trust. Kaspersky joined the ranks of Mcafee and Norton a long time ago for me. Of the big "premium" AV brands I think Bitdefender is the only only which still hasn't tarnished its reputation.

 

[stewi0001]

Sorry, no matter how much "better" they become, they will remain tainted by their ownership and stay less desireable .....

Yea, with the current political tensions going on... I am a little bit weary.

 

[DelJo63]

Be Advised:

The US government has moved to block federal agencies from buying software from Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, amid concerns about the company's links to intelligence services in Moscow.

The General Services Administration, which handles federal government purchasing contracts, said in a statement to AFP that Kaspersky Labs, a major global provider of cybersecurity software, has been removed from its list of approved vendors, making it more difficult to obtain Kaspersky products.



Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-kaspersky-software-russia-ties.html#jCp​

 

[gusticles41]

Be Advised:

The US government has moved to block federal agencies from buying software from Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, amid concerns about the company's links to intelligence services in Moscow.

The General Services Administration, which handles federal government purchasing contracts, said in a statement to AFP that Kaspersky Labs, a major global provider of cybersecurity software, has been removed from its list of approved vendors, making it more difficult to obtain Kaspersky products.



Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-kaspersky-software-russia-ties.html#jCp​

Hence this move - Free download online, hope to upgrade users to paid versions after the fact. It's probably the best thing Kaspersky could do after the US govt hosed their reputation.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Sorry, no matter how much "better" they become, they will remain tainted by their ownership and stay less desireable .....

Yea, with the current political tensions going on... I am a little bit weary.

Weary and wary. C'mon man, that bickering has nothing to do with AV software, it's just politicians willy waving again. It's what they do best... that and digging in your back pocket.

 

[indiferenc]

Be Advised:

The US government has moved to block federal agencies from buying software from Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, amid concerns about the company's links to intelligence services in Moscow.

The General Services Administration, which handles federal government purchasing contracts, said in a statement to AFP that Kaspersky Labs, a major global provider of cybersecurity software, has been removed from its list of approved vendors, making it more difficult to obtain Kaspersky products.



Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-kaspersky-software-russia-ties.html#jCp​

Hence this move - Free download online, hope to upgrade users to paid versions after the fact. It's probably the best thing Kaspersky could do after the US govt hosed their reputation.

uh, they hosed their own reputation by being linked to the kremlin

 

[David Belkin]

Be Advised:

The US government has moved to block federal agencies from buying software from Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, amid concerns about the company's links to intelligence services in Moscow.

The General Services Administration, which handles federal government purchasing contracts, said in a statement to AFP that Kaspersky Labs, a major global provider of cybersecurity software, has been removed from its list of approved vendors, making it more difficult to obtain Kaspersky products.



Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-kaspersky-software-russia-ties.html#jCp​

Hence this move - Free download online, hope to upgrade users to paid versions after the fact. It's probably the best thing Kaspersky could do after the US govt hosed their reputation.

"... the US govt hosed their reputation", do we really think the US government is actually (still) in any position to assume the high moral ground in the world and to hose any reputation, least of all a reputable software company's reputation.
It's time to see the bigger picture, Russia is challenging US interests in the Middle East (Syria), hence US fabricates Russia as a bogey man who "meddled" in our election, thus creating mistrust and hate towards Russia which would ultimately lead to sanctions and a possible invasion.
The NSA which spies on the entire world is US, not Russian.
Back to Kaspersky, a damn fine product, which Eugene Kaspersky, last week I read, even offered to have his software code scrutinized by the US government, an unprecedented offer. What more must he do to vindicate himself and his company?

 

[gusticles41]

"... the US govt hosed their reputation", do we really think the US government is actually (still) in any position to assume the high moral ground in the world and to hose any reputation, least of all a reputable software company's reputation.
It's time to see the bigger picture, Russia is challenging US interests in the Middle East (Syria), hence US fabricates Russia as a bogey man who "meddled" in our election, thus creating mistrust and hate towards Russia which would ultimately lead to sanctions and a possible invasion.
The NSA which spies on the entire world is US, not Russian.
Back to Kaspersky, a damn fine product, which Eugene Kaspersky, last week I read, even offered to have his software code scrutinized by the US government, an unprecedented offer. What more must he do to vindicate himself and his company?

By "hosed their reputation" I mean they removed Kaspersky from an approved vendors list. And as you can see by this post...

uh, they hosed their own reputation by being linked to the kremlin

the US govt doing so was enough to instill a falsified belief that Kaspersky did something wrong.

There is no proof Kaspersky has done anything questionable, let alone illegal. Like David said, Eugene himself offered up the code.

 

[Kenrick]

Sorry, no matter how much "better" they become, they will remain tainted by their ownership and stay less desireable .....

Ve have no ties to the Russian Government comrade Al, just ask our new CEO Vladimir Mutin...

I blame the vodka in this one.

 

[Reehahs]

Time to remove other antiviruses off and replace them with Kaspersky.

 

[ypsylon]

Nothing is ever free and certainly not free in this particular segment where all user movement/behaviour is monitored 24/7/365(6) and sold to 3rd, 4th and gazillion other parties. Spying on users is big business, even for "FREE".

 

[captaincranky]

Be Advised:

The US government has moved to block federal agencies from buying software from Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, amid concerns about the company's links to intelligence services in Moscow.

The General Services Administration, which handles federal government purchasing contracts, said in a statement to AFP that Kaspersky Labs, a major global provider of cybersecurity software, has been removed from its list of approved vendors, making it more difficult to obtain Kaspersky products....[ ]...​

Well JB, that's pretty darn scary stuff. I think I'll install the Kaspersky product on my "erotic art computer", which I fondly refer to as my "pornograph player". After all a goodly percentage of "adult models", are of Russian and Ukrainian extraction. So then, should they want to spy on what I'm doing, they certainly won't get any marketing profile, banking information, or passwords.

So who knows, perhaps, assuming the spook assigned to my case is male, we can have a sort of "Glasnost", by masturbating in unison on opposite sides of the world..... Nostrovia!​

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ]...It's time to see the bigger picture, Russia is challenging US interests in the Middle East (Syria), hence US fabricates Russia as a bogey man who "meddled" in our election, thus creating mistrust and hate towards Russia which would ultimately lead to sanctions and a possible invasion....[ ]....

No, it's time for you to see, "the bigger picture". First, another "cold war", allows both our countries to divert welfare and social entitlement spending, to military spending.

Second, the entire middle east, has pretty much functioned as a weapons systems proving ground, for the US and Russia for many decades. Who armed Saudi Arabia? We did! Who originally armed Syria? The Russians did!

So, considering the number of combat sorties by both Russian and American fighter pilots. you could almost consider the Middle East, a "The United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program".. That's right, "Top Gun", with live ammo!

If you're old enough to remember "Desert Storm", you'll remember how the F-117 "Stealth", practically destroyed Baghdad on it's own. Sadly, we did lose one, but that was dismissed as mechanical failure..

 

[Kibaruk]

Come on guys, we are talking about AV software, not politics. I find it great they started with a free offering, it's how most of the AV companies get the hook on their users, if a non-tech savvy user sees the option to upgrade to get the "best protection", they will probably rush towards it.

...on my "erotic art computer", which I fondly refer to as my "pornograph player".

I think this has been by far the most scary thing in the topic...

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ]... I think I'll install the Kaspersky product on my "erotic art computer", which I fondly refer to as my "pornograph player". ...[ ]...

.I think this has been by far the most scary thing in the topic...