Kaspersky Standard for Mac Review

Full review

Kaspersky is certainly a respected brand. The privately owned Russian anti-virus company has been a major name on the scene for years and now operates in 200 countries. The company’s Mac virus protection was born to meet the growing needs of Mac owners – we checked it out to see what you can expect from this anti-virus giant.

Protection

You can count on protection against both Mac and Windows malware with this anti-virus solution. The Kaspersky URL Advisor alerts you when it comes across a dangerous search engine link and the protective scans also include an anti-phishing element to identify websites that could cause you problems. All files you download from the internet are automatically scanned. This protection is all you need to remain effective and safe when you’re online.

Effectiveness

[Awaiting copy.]

Scans & updates

As with most anti-virus packages, you can run a quick, full or a custom scan with Kaspersky. You click on one of the options in the control panel to make the scan happen. There is no way to set a scheduled scan. We like how you can quickly drag any files you want to scan into the central area in order to set up the custom scan. We also like how you can specify safe files and locations in order to speed up the scanning process. Real-time scanning prevents viruses appearing out of email attachments or opened files, as with other anti-virus packages. Scanning is fast and powerful via cloud-based technology as well as local signature-based searches.

Features

We particularly like the extra features in the Kaspersky Standard for Mac package, which we believe add genuine value to the regular virus scanning bundle. The Safe Money feature makes it safer to use online banks or shop online by providing a virtual keyboard to input the passwords and account numbers that all too often fall into the wrong hands. Plus, parental control features help protect your family while they’re online by blocking unwanted social media contacts, preventing children sharing credit card numbers or phone numbers, and blocking downloads of games and apps. You can set time limits, and block access to specific sites or put certain sites on a whitelist.

Ease of use

The interface is plain and simple with all the options you need displayed clearly in grey boxes, with a screen icon showing your Mac is protected. To pick a scan or to access support options you simply need to click on an option at the bottom of the control panel. It’s logical and straightforward, as you would expect from the Kaspersky brand.

Help & support

Along with the full manual for the product located online, you’ll find a Knowledge Base with a range of different troubleshooting and task solutions. The online forum is active and there's a set of articles to read. In order to submit a request to customer support you need to log into your Kaspersky account where you'll find all the information relating to your purchases and your protection. With live chat and a 7-days-a-week telephone line (available in the US, the UK and many other countries) the support from Kaspersky is comprehensive.

Overall

Protect your family online, enjoy safer banking and shopping, and give your Mac a layer of solid anti-virus protection, all in one package. Kaspersky Standard for Mac is priced a little high but the extras make it value for money.