Kaspersky Internet Security 2013: 3 Users - 1 Year (PC) (this product comes in Frustration-Free Packaging--for standard packaging click here)

When first writing this review I had seen only a preview version which is close but not identical to the final version, but the final version is now available for download from Kaspersky's UK web site (existing registered users only). For new users, you will need either to buy a retail pack or buy the license on-line.

There are a number of changes; it is much faster to install than ever before and there is a small change to the on-screen gadget - that is just about all there is to see until you start to use it in earnest. A new addition, Safe Money, adds a secure browser with Kasperky's own virtual keyboard that provides a safe means to access a bank account and should be enabled if you want that facility, and appears only after a reboot. You will not be asked to input the license data until after the reboot. Once fully installed, I would suggest that you update its definition and database files.

Although Kaspersky's anti-virus engine (a version of which is used in all of its products) is not known as one excessively prone to either false negatives or positives, it will sometimes do so. In some instances, KIS 12 could report an item as infected some way today, refer it to base for further and more extensive testing, and then declare it safe again in a couple of days. For the user who may have quarantined that file, it can then be restored in the full knowledge that there will not be a recurrence. I cannot yet say that the new version will never do that, but Kaspersky claim to have significantly beefed up the engine to reduce the number of false reports. That has to be a real and beneficial improvement.

As the preview was not fully functional I was limited to what other checks I could make but there are several claimed small improvements and some new features which should add to the user experience. As one of the best and most universally trusted products of its type, and it has been for many years, any small improvements are to be welcomed.

I did find one issue and that is one I cannot currently explain with total certainty. In the past and with prior versions, any unused licensed time remaining on an existing product can be transferred to a new one simply upon its installation, regardless of the version for which that license was issued (within the same product line only). Once that existing license expires, you can then add the license supplied with the product and thus gain full advantage from whatever improvements that version provides provides. However, on this occasion, and with almost the entire license period of KIS 2012 remaining in place (admittedly with a previously unused stockpiled 2009 license), KIS 2013 would not accept that license and insisted on a fresh one. This may be a change of policy by Kaspersky but they have been rather lenient in the past and may now wish to tighten up on such issues. I now believe that to be close to reality and that my license, although valid for 2012, was not acceptable to 2013 - 2012 licenses will be fine!

I had problems with Pure as it stopped my win7 update and check disk utilities. Pure also stopped check disk in PC running win vista. I removed it and went back to internet security, which I have been using for few years, and all is fine. Pure was a big mistake.

It is true that you should buy the 2011 or 2012 version for much cheaper price for its licence only. You download this latest version from Kaspersky and the licence will activate.

First off, the installation went OK - bit long-winded as after the main install process, KIS went to update itself online and this took AGES whilst it downloaded around 300mB of data!

Once this was done followed by a reboot, KIS started up OK.

The good:

According to [...] (and others), EXCELLENT virus detection (like 100%) with very few if any false positives. KIS has found one infected file in a zip file on my system so far and asked me what I wanted to do with it (I deleted it), so thumbs up there.

Stout firewall; can be a bit annoying at times with pop-up windows asking whether you want to make trusted/allow/block/terminate the application but this can be tamed by changing the warning option in "Settings".

Highly configurable - you can set a lot of options such as the level of warnings KIS pops up etc.

A useful range of extras (although see below). One of these is the detection of and an online database of dodgy/infected web sites which KIS alerted me to one when I inadvertently stumbled on it. Another thumbs up!

The "new application" checker: this useful little app first examines any new application being installed/run and then checks it against Kaspersky's online database of applications to check that it really is safe. If KIS finds the app marked safe in the online database, the installation process is allowed to continue unhindered; if not, KIS asks you if you wish to continue running the app/install program or terminate it. I liked that!

Several virus signature updates are issued per day, although the default setting is for KIS to auto-update once per day which is usually sufficient, but you can easily run a manual update at any time and the latest updates will be downloaded & installed. There is also a "roll-back" option if this is ever needed (not so far!).

The not-so-good:

I couldn't get Safe Money to work on my PC on which I use the latest version of Firefox (v16.0.2 at the time of writing) - whatever I tried, every site I used it on just hung. However, your experience may vary here depending on which web browser & operating system you use.

Also, the supplied virtual keyboard isn't compatible (yet) with the latest version of Firefox. I expect an update from Kaspersky will fix that at some point in the near future.

The pointless:
On earlier versions of KIS you could download the daily update files to a "shared" area on say a network server so that all the PCs on the network using KIS could update from this shared source rather than each PC having to update from Kaspersky's online server which saved quite a bit of bandwidth - particularly if you have a slow internet connection. This useful facility has been removed from KIS 2013 for some unknown reason. Each PC must now update direct from Kaspersky's online server.

To sum up:
If you're after peace of mind and highly capable, accurate and comprehensive online protection, look no further. It's just a pity I couldn't get Safe Money to work that's all - for which KIS loses one star for me.