Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 Review

What the reviewers like:
The consensus of reviewers is that Kaspersky Anit-Virus 6 is the best program for preventing viruses. It's very good at blocking other malware, too, and it is easy to configure and use.

What the reviewers don't like:
We read some reports that Kaspersky Anti-Virus conflicts with other some programs, and a minority of users have enough trouble with it that they end up switching to another program.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 review highlights

According to reviews, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 is one of the best antivirus programs. Test reports indicate the program is superb at detection. It ranks as average at malware prevention in some tests and excellent in others. One caveat is that Kaspersky Anti-Virus has compatibility issues with some non-security applications. Nonetheless, Kaspersky is easy to use and works well for most users. As with almost all security software, some users still encounter problems that force them to switch to another program.

Scot's Newsletter has the best review of Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6. Scot Finnie directly compares it with eight competitors in real-world testing. He also factors expert user input into his evaluation. Computer Shopper and PC World have good but less comprehensive reviews supported by testing. CNet.com and TopTenReviews.com have glowing reviews that barely fall short of describing the product as perfect. Consumer Reports only review the previous version of Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.

Also see full report: Antivirus Software

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Scot's Newsletter
The Right Antivirus, Part V: Best Antivirus of 2006!
Scot Finnie
Aug. 2006

Computerworld editor Scot Finnie spends months in 2006 thoroughly testing nine standalone antivirus programs. Finnie says, "Kaspersky 6 offers superb antivirus-vanquishing technology." However, he adds, "The Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 package is buggy, has a tendency to conflict with other software, and in particular, its Proactive Defense creates more problems than it solves." Finnie also experienced over 4-hour scan times. He concludes the program is a disappointment even though it is effective.

2. Computer Shopper
Labs: Anti-virus software
Simon Edwards
Feb. 2007

British magazine Computer Shopper directly compares a dozen antivirus programs, including Kaspersky Anti-Virus. The reviews do not address compatibility with other security programs, and the results sometimes don't jibe with those of other reviewers, but testing seems appropriate. Kaspersky Anti-Virus fares very well. The review reveals that the cheaper (at least in England) Steganos antivirus program is identical.

3. PC World
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Virus Stoppers
Ryan Naraine
Apr. 23, 2007

In conjunction with AV-Test.org, PC World tests Kaspersky Anti-Virus along with seven other antivirus applications. The reviews are comprehensive and detailed, except that compatibility with other anti-spyware and firewall programs isn't tested. That's a big deal in context of Kaspersky's reputation for conflicts. Kaspersky Anti-Virus did the best job of detecting malware in testing.

4. CNet.com
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 Review
Robert Vamosi
Oct. 2, 2006

CNet's rave review is directly comparative with competing products from Norton and McAfee. CNet does not test effectiveness in preventing malware; it relies on the independent lab tests, but Vamosi evaluates other factors of usage, including system drag. Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6 earns the highest score.

5. Amazon.com
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 Reviews
Contributors to Amazon.com

Amazon.com customers either love Kaspersky Anti-Virus or have had a disastrous experience with it. The average rating indicates that about four of every five customers are happy with the program. Other users complain that Kaspersky rendered their computer unusable in a variety of ways. Overall, Kaspersky gets a much higher rating from users than other antivirus software.

Also see full report: Antivirus Software