Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2006 review

This package, available from the beginning of May, includes all the features you would expect of an anti-virus program.

The scanners will test email and web traffic, plus files on the hard disk. You can scan files, folders and disks using the context menu or from the main program. An updated, friendly interface gives access to lots of options, many suitable for advanced users.

However, if you don't want to get your hands dirty playing with advanced settings or exporting virus scan reports in CSV format, you don't have to. Simply install the software, let it update itself, and it scans your system regularly. A single slider selects one of three security levels.

The software now includes anti-rootkit detection and removal to get rid of this latest threat. It also has a behaviour-based detection system called Proactive Defense, which monitors programs when they run and looks for suspicious behaviour. If it detects a threat, such as a Trojan, it alerts the user and provides an opportunity to undo changes the bad program might have made, such as creating files and making changes to the Registry.

CHECKING FOR CHANGES

The software monitors the Windows Registry to check for changes, and the email notification system comes in handy if you want to track the health of more than one PC. Your family PC could email you about suspipcious activity, for example. A password feature means the anti-virus software can be locked, preventing other users turning it off or changing its settings.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus used to include an option to make a set of anti-virus floppy disks that you could use to boot and scan an infected system, using the latest virus definitions. This feature was missing from the 2005 release of Kaspersky's Windows security software but at last it has returned, only this time you can create a bootable CD. This is more convenient than messing around with a fistful of 3.5" floppies. So far so good, but how did Kaspersky's latest anti-virus program perform in our tests? Perfectly, as it turned out. It was one of only three products tested to detect every sample. Interestingly, the other two (F-Secure Anti-Virus and Steganos AntiVirus) also use Kaspersky technology.

In previous reviews, Kaspersky missed out on our top awards as it was more expensive than its rivals. But it is now one of the best-priced options available. If you run Kaspersky Anti-Virus 5, upgrading is a no-brainer. If you are ready to renew your Norton AntiVirus or other package, consider changing to Kaspersky. F-Secure users may as well stay as they are, as their renewal fees are the same as those charged by Kaspersky.