Kaspersky's latest moves point to its antivirus being the most robust option for Windows 10, and to an ongoing legal conflict with Microsoft, which it accuses of monopolistic practices. The challenge for Kaspersky is improving its competitiveness, which requires a firm entry into the free antivirus market. The new Kaspersky Antivirus Free offers fewer features than the premium versions, but keeps its basic protection intact.
A Clash with Microsoft
The tech world turned its attention to Kaspersky when it denounced Microsoft before the European Commission for installing a monopoly and harming free competition by bundling Windows Defender with Windows 10. It is not the first time this has happened, and we are convinced it will not be the last, but the clash was far stronger than expected. I imagine both companies must have smoothed things over, yet there is an underlying detail that remains: if Kaspersky sees Microsoft as an opponent, it needs to fight at the same level, which means doing something it had previously rejected: offering a free antivirus.
Kaspersky Antivirus Free
The brand-new Kaspersky Antivirus Free was announced yesterday by Eugene Kaspersky himself on his official blog as an alternative for users who cannot afford the premium license (priced at $50), but still want a solution superior to other free antiviruses, and especially to Windows Defender. The company plans a gradual rollout of this tool, and it should reach European territory in early October, but the installer is already available. In essence, Kaspersky Antivirus Free provides four layers of protection: Files, Web, Messaging, and Email. All other features are disabled, though the antivirus can be upgraded to a more advanced version at any time.
The Fine Print
Now, what is the fine print? It boils down to one word: "telemetry". By increasing the number of installations, Kaspersky's networks can gather more data, respond faster to new threats, and optimize security for all customers, regardless of their licenses. I think that puts it on par with what Windows Defender does today, but the final say always rests with the user.
