Kaspersky Internet Security Software 2009 Review

Russian security giant Kaspersky Lab has reigned the internet security market for years now. The latest Kaspersky Internet security suite has undergone an axiomatic upgradation over its last edition. Once you launch the Kaspersky Internet Security 2009, you can realize the revised interface and the streamlined features. Delving further, you’ll find the new edition all more organized and user-friendly. Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 has undergone significant internal modifications. The most evident face-lift being the anti-virus engine and a new application filter. The secondary features of the suite such as spam encounter and parental control remains rudimentary and unimpressive.  Let’s have a close look at this security suite to explore what’s exactly changed.

Interface

At the first instance the interface looks pretty overwrought. Each of the tabs open to sub tabs that are further divided into multiple panels and buttons. All the panels are buttons are not rightly located as you would have expected. Still the interface is intuitive and workable. It loads fast and ensures minimal resource usage.  The main window has four categories Anti-Malware, System Security, Online Security and Content Filtering instead of the eight in the previous version.

What causes a bug is the security alert. That’s obvious, but it’s not always providing you with right alerts. The problem may be with the program and not your machine. When you try to fix it you get a message to download the latest updates. The program is self-updating and you can see the progress of update in the percentage indicator.

Confusingly, results for the system scans are highlighted after you run a Quick Scan. Even if you have a clean system the results are important for identification. For the first times it can be quite confusing, as you have no clue of the results after the Quick Scan. To get the results of the scan you need to click on the report button. The report only displays the time of scan and not the exact status of the system.

Key Features

The Kaspersky Internet security 2009 suite includes antivirus, antispyware, antiphishing, antispam, a personal firewall, as well as antirootkit protection. The extras really stand out from the rest. Now let’s have a thorough look at the crucial features of KIS 2009.

Antivirus Protection

Kaspersky Labs has been associated with anti-virus generation for long. This is evident from the scanner’s power and flexibility. It has received additional checkmark certifications from West Coast Labs for detection of malware, spyware and Trojans. The current Kaspersky suite features the KLAVA antivirus engine specifically designed to boost up the speed. This has provided it with faster scanning algorithms and allows it to use multiple processors when there is less memory.

KIS runs a combined antivirus and antispyware scan on demand. It can also be scheduled for a quick or full scan at any interval. You can set the scan from minutes to months. With the scheduler you can also run a scan at the start up after the update. Kaspersky Labs offers updates within hours. So the updates keeps the system protected against every new threat. You can stall a scan and resume it later. Shut down or reboot the computer on scan completion, or put it in sleep or standby. One of the impressive things you find is that it doesn’t re-scans the files that haven’t changed.

Anti-malware

Kaspersky Internet Security is still a capable anti-malware package, especially for file-based threats and it’s highly efficient too.

Post Infected System Restore

This is one of the most distinctive features upgraded in the KIS 2009. It is a Wizard that you find in the System tools. This allows you to set the system to a specific date on which you suppose the virus or malicious software intruded your system.

Rescue disk

In case there was a malicious code that deleted some system files Kaspersky Internet security includes the capability to create a Rescue Disk. You can download a Linux Rescue Disk for Windows XP and Vista.

Secunia Vulnerability Database

It inspects through the Secunia database for the latest reported vulnerabilities and vendor updates. There can be a large number of  vulnerabilities and you would have to scrutinize each of them individually. It’s quite confusing to download the correct patch. There is no indication of the version of vulnerable software you are running.

Spam Security

Kaspersky offers an overcautious approach to infested emails. It provides you the preview of each suspected email before reaching the Windows Mail. Rejecting the mail is at your discretion. The spam filter is not too reliable, as it also pops up the valid mails. The anti-spam plugin is not quite impressive with just three buttons stretched across the whole Windows mail toolbar.

Onscreen Keyboard

This inclusion could be considered as a safety measure against the keyloggers. This seems illogical as the security experts have always warned that onscreen keyboard doesn’t reduce the risk of keyloggers hijacking your password.

Competitors

Norton, Trend Micro, and McAfee

Pros

• Powerful and fast anti-malicious-software engine
• New application filtering feature allowing the suite to make decisions without troubling the user.
• The repeat scan are over in a jiffy
• Well developed firewall to prevent attempts of intrusion
• Built-in system restore capacity
• Secunia vulnerability database

Cons

• The top-most shortcoming remains the not-so impressive Parental control. It remains rudimentary.
• Installation involves a number intricacies
• Result messages are unambiguous
• Spam filter is not efficient and prevents most valid emails
• After uninstall, the registry remains intact
• The price could be an issue given the features
• Antiphising is weaker
• It’s difficult to install or scan in the malware-infested systems

Conclusion

Now if you are not looking for a suite that could filter the spam or parental control, Kasperksy could be a choice for Internet security.  Given the downside, Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 has definitely built on its impregnability, but still there remains a wide scope for improvement. Kaspersky is high on antivirus protection. In case you have used this Kaspersky Internet security suite you can always share your experience with us.