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I have never been a user of this brand before, but I had heard all the good things. This IS a great Internet Security package. I am not a tech savvy user so my review is based on what I notice it does and doesn't do over other software I have used and reviewed. I play and surf in the knowledge that it does catch those mnasties before they get through.

I intentionally directed my browser to a couple of site which I know to be "iffy" and the software immediately pointed to a potential problem. I then tried to run a video from the site and it again it isolated a problem part of the video which was identified as a trojan, which was then sent to quaratine.

The scan is quick and effective and the firewall is un-noticeable as it quietly does it's thing. There are the usually settings which allow the more advanced user to set everything to their liking. It even adds a widget on your desktop which is colour coded to easily keep you informed of any issues, this is removeable if you don't want it.

Essentially I am a plug and play user and this simply works. I am VERY impressed.

I upgraded to this version from the previous year's product (exactly the same but "2010") and have been disappointed with its performance overall. Once installed, the update process takes much longer and seems to fail frequently so my PC's are running slowly for ~ 30 mins every time they get turned on (which really annoys the kids with their limited computer time). Often they are unprotected after this long wait and you have to start again (more slowness while the entire download is repeated). The set-up of parental controls for a new user was also less intuitive (in my opinion) than before.

I use Kasperky Internet Security 2010 on one of my computers and it works well, if a little confusingly laid out onscreen and offers good security with plenty of features. So I was keen to try the latest version. Sadly it seems I have been disappointed in what I have found.

The interface is small and neat at first sight but trying to delve down to access the more arcane features is difficult and confusing with a plethora of sub menus and screens often covering overlapping issues and protection options. The interface itself when on screen is a dull and listless green and whilst I don't want a busy and memory hogging display I would like something that is reasonably attractive to look at with easy to identify icons.

No problems with the security it offers. Kaspersky has always been at the top of the list of effective security suites and offers every type of online security you could need and then some. Therein lies the problem. Norton Utilities, perhaps the market leader in PC security, only recently pulled it self back from the brink as users left the product in droves owing to the system slowdowns caused by a mass of poorly coded features and unnecessary options. I should hate to see Kaspersky go the same way and throw away their own user base in an effort to cram more unneeded features into their already fully specced security suite.

I am now going to uninstall Kaspersky and either return to Norton Internet Security 2010 - 1 User 3 Computers (PC CD) or very probably the free, lightweight and surprisingly powerful Microsoft Security Essentials



The Good
Offers first rate level of protection at all levels
Well priced as it covers three machines
Easy and quick to install

The Bad
Slows down the system slightly
Annoying upgrade procedure
Showing signs of feature bloat
dull and boring interface
Rival products are cheaper or free

Specifically when using Windows 7 (I can't comment on Vista) this 2011 upgrade/new version seems to run smoother than last years version.
I often found (especially after a Windows update) that my PC would flag that there was no anti-virus installed, despite Kaspersky running perfectly normally.
The 2011 has a slightly smaller and less flashy GUI with the addition of "Safe Run" and "Pause protection" on the gadget.
I like Kaspersky so I may seem biased, I know some people report problems, but for a great anti virus that doesn't slow down your system or hog other resources it's still hard to beat, this version seems the best yet. I have tested a lot of others including Vipre, BitDefender, and of course the old boys like McAfee and Norton.
For the price, you will find this hard to beat. Just remember NO AV program is 100% safe, so you still need to be vigilant, but the easy tweak settings on this should suit most experience levels.
NOTE - If you are still using the 2009 version, Kaspersky will stop supporting it on December 24th this year, so it's your choice to upgrade but for those who don't like the 2010 version, you can still migrate to 2011 version if you have a valid subscription.

I have several PCs running either Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 or 2011, or McAfee Security Centre. There isn't much to choose between them but I think that kaspersky has a better and more intuitive user interface. However the latest offering had a very strange and disconcerting installation but it did install correctly. Read below to find out what happened. I have friends who use various free security software and I am the only one who has never suffered an infection whilst using Kaspersky and McAfee. Still one of the best systems around. Recommended.

Pros
Subjectively I would say it has less of a performance impact than McAfee and Norton.
Extensive range of features including virus protection, firewall, anti spam and banners, registry monitoring, anit-phising,parental controls, rescue disc (not with downloaded version), virtual keyboard and tune up utilities.
Once installed there is minimal intervention required.
If you want to tailor the settings then the interface is easier to follow than McAfee.
Installs seamlessly over earlier versions of kaspersky.

Cons
Installation: As usual with Kaspersky the documentation does not reflect how the application actually works. I installed 2011 on a machine running the 2010 version. The installation went ok until it requested me to reboot, which I did with the installation CD still in the drive. Upon rebooting it went into a rescue mode and then crashed. I rebooted without the installation disc in the drive and all was ok. This has lost it a star.