After I wrote my last entry, I was reminded that an anti-virus is the one software that must be kept current at all times. I agree. And in my opinion, the best anti-virus out there is the Kaspersky Anti Virus, currently in version 2009. Founded in 1997 in Moscow, Russia, Kaspersky Lab has emerged as the market leader in anti-virus and security applications. I have tried nearly all the anti-virus (AV) products out there and found Kaspersky to be the best by a long shot.
I was using Norton AV earlier and despite the hype and popularity found it more of a problem than the virus it removed. It uses up so much memory and system resources that its better to turn it off if you are going to do any serious work on your computer. So when my subscription ran out, I never bothered to renew it. I tried most of the major brands before settling for Kaspersky. And I am ever so glad I did. My system is running comfortably no matter how seriously I work on it and my hard-disk is free from viruses. It also has a very small memory foot print. Its using a measly 22 MB of my RAM as I write this entry while in the same situation Norton was guzzling up nearly five times that amount.
Whenever I start an application for the first time, Kaspersky shoots up a new window and investigates the nature of the program and allows it to run only when it feels safe about handing over the controls. I think it also updates hourly from its servers. Something I feel more safe about than many others out there which had valid updates every few days. Once a month I do an online AV scan through one of the independent providers and the last two times (since I’ve been using Kaspersky) my scans have come out clean. Norton used to often leave a few malware around.
A good AV is essential these days. Especially if, like me, you spend a lot of time online. My DSL connection links to the net whenever I boot and stays on till I shut down. So I am always connected to the net. Its very important that my computer is protected not only from malware but also hackers who may choose to randomly attack a connected computer in hopes of finding something useful like my bank account data (which I never keep in the computer anyway and neither should you).
And if you are in India then Kaspersky AV is available at a throwaway price through Tata Communications. Tatas have launched a new website called Yuva Yantra (I’ll be giving the links at the end of the entry) which sells many of the popular AV and utilities online at really low prices. The current price of Kaspersky AV 2009 with one year updates is around Rs. 2,000. At Yuva Yantra the same thing is available at Rs. 150 for six months. That’s a lot of savings. And since its from Tata, its genuine with no hidden surprises. I think its an awesome deal and if you haven’t bought an AV yet, go check out Yuva Yantra and compare the prices. There are many more utilities and AV solutions available at their site. You do have to register to buy their products though but registration is free and I have not received any spam from them since I registered about two months back. Anyway, here are the links for both Kaspersky and Yuva Yantra.
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