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I've been using Kaspersky Premium for PC & Android for quite a few years now with no issues and I'm happy with how it works (not being an IT expert). However as my licence is up for renewal shortly and with all the stuff going on around the planet I'm wondering if it's time for change or if I'm I just being paranoid. Mr Google says yes/no/maybe which doesn't really help, so any advice would be gratefully received, especially regarding suitable alternatives.
Posted : 16/04/2025 4:02 pm
Similar situation a few years back. Asked for advice on here, use Windows Defender was the consensus.
Have done so ever since.
Posted : 16/04/2025 4:28 pm
scc999 reacted
People still use antivirus software?
Thought the same. Used to buy it but haven't for years, rightly or wrongly.
Posted : 16/04/2025 4:36 pm
Not. Next?
Posted : 16/04/2025 5:22 pm
Costs money, slows your devices down and is replicating what's built in already......not a lot to love.
Posted : 16/04/2025 5:24 pm
For Windows this should be an easy decision - you can either use the perfectly good free AV in Windows (and let Windows update do its thing), or carry on paying for something that's been banned or restricted by several governments beacuse of its association with Russia.
Posted : 16/04/2025 6:01 pm
If your OS is updated regularly then “not” is the correct answer.
Posted : 17/04/2025 4:45 pm
If you really want to get nerdy then this has a load of speeds and feeds: https://selabs.uk/reports/endpoint-security-eps-home-2024-q4/ - it rates Avast's free AV equally against Kaspersky, which suggests the short answer to renewing your Kaspersky sub is: absolutely not.
@Rio's point is very well worth bearing in mind. When the plug was pulled on Kaspersky in the US, some highly suspect forced transitions to a weird AV happened that wasn't exactly the best look for Kaspersky: https://uk.pcmag.com/antivirus/154477/kaspersky-antivirus-abruptly-replaced-with-ultraav-in-the-us-angering-users
If you want to go full-on regional, then European AV firms include F-Secure (Finland) and Eset (Slovakia). Both will see you right for consumer AV, and Eset still offers NOD32 as a free app/ service.
And also, as pointed out above, Windows Defender has a good rep these days and is baked in if you have a recent version of Windows.
Posted : 17/04/2025 5:18 pm
If you want to go full-on regional, then European AV firms include F-Secure (Finland) and Eset (Slovakia). Both will see you right for consumer AV, and Eset still offers NOD32 as a free app/ service.
F-Secure OEM (use) Bitdefender's AV Engine - they are Romanian.
Posted : 17/04/2025 7:20 pm
No, save your money 🙂
Windows Defender and make sure auto update is turned on.
Microsoft have pumped big money into making sure that their AV services get updated as soon as the industry sees a new malware in the wild and for the every day punter this is the main criterion. These other services may have benefits if you understand your kit really well and know how to get the best out of it, but for 99% of the population the risk of mis-config and the licence cost doesn't justify
Posted : 17/04/2025 7:32 pm
leffeboy reacted
I don't have much more to add beyond the excellent advice provided above.
AV manufacturers have invested large amounts of money into creating a product that performs well in tests. If it's knocking the absolute shit out of your machine in the process that doesn't matter.
There are use cases for extra endpoint protection, but for most normal people MS's inbuilt Defender is sufficient. Just uninstall Kaspersky and it will kick in. When did you last see a virus? Time was I was disinfecting machines on a near-daily basis, today I haven't seen an in-the-wild infection that wasn't a phishing click-through in years.
Plus as someone else said, Kaspersky is... questionable.
Posted : 17/04/2025 7:49 pm
Never used it myself, beyond the 1 year Norton bundled into the new computer
John McAfee has shared his thoughts on the matter.
Posted : 17/04/2025 8:00 pm
el_boufador reacted
If it's knocking the absolute shit out of your machine in the process that doesn't matter.
To be fair that kind of works at keeping viruses out. If the system is too busy handling kasperskys crap then it cant handle a bitcoin miner on top. After all crowdstrike was extremely effective at stopping the bad guys messing around last July. Admittedly some collateral damage but it was secure.
For OP: The one bit of advice on top of just using windows defender is to set your day to day account as nonadmin. Gives you more of a hint if people are playing stupid buggers.
Posted : 19/04/2025 12:49 am
