Kaspersky

Kaspersky does offer some free antivirus tools, but their business solutions are not free.

Here’s a breakdown:

Kaspersky Free Antivirus: This is a basic antivirus product that’s free for personal use. It provides essential protection against common threats, but it lacks the advanced features and management capabilities that businesses need.
Kaspersky Security Cloud Free: This is another free option for personal use, offering basic antivirus and some extra features like a VPN with limited data. Again, it’s not intended for business use.
Why Kaspersky Business Products Aren’t Free:

Advanced features: Kaspersky’s business products include a wide range of advanced features that are essential for protecting businesses, such as:
Centralized management
Firewall
Web filtering
Email security
Vulnerability scanning
Data loss prevention
Dedicated support: Businesses require dedicated support channels to ensure their security solutions are always running smoothly. Kaspersky provides business customers with priority support and expert assistance.
Licensing and compliance: Business software requires specific licensing agreements to ensure legal compliance and proper usage. Free products often have limitations that are not suitable for commercial environments.
Kaspersky’s Business Solutions:

Kaspersky offers a variety of paid security solutions designed specifically for businesses, including:

Kaspersky Standard: Provides essential protection for endpoints and file servers.
Kaspersky Plus: Adds advanced features like vulnerability and patch management, and encryption.
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Select: Offers comprehensive endpoint protection with centralized management.
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Advanced: Includes advanced threat protection, web control, and device control.
Kaspersky Total Security for Business: Provides the most comprehensive protection, including email security, web gateway security, and data loss prevention.
In summary:

While Kaspersky offers free antivirus tools for personal use, their business solutions are paid products. This is because businesses have more complex security needs and require advanced features, dedicated support, and proper licensing. If you need to protect your business, consider investing in one of Kaspersky’s paid business products to ensure you have the right level of protection.

Kaspersky’s business VPN, officially called “Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection,” is a decent VPN service, especially when bundled with their other business security products. However, it may not be the absolute best standalone VPN solution available.

Here’s a breakdown of its strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:

Solid security and privacy: Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection uses strong encryption to protect your internet traffic and hide your IP address. It also has a no-logs policy, meaning they don’t track your online activity.
Good speeds: Generally, it offers decent connection speeds suitable for browsing, streaming, and downloading.
Ease of use: The VPN application is user-friendly and easy to set up and navigate.
Multiple device compatibility: You can use it on various devices, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
Affordable pricing: Especially when bundled with Kaspersky’s business security suites, the VPN offers good value for the price.
Kill switch: This feature automatically disconnects your internet if the VPN connection drops, preventing your real IP address from being exposed.
Weaknesses:

Limited server network: Compared to some top-tier VPN providers, Kaspersky has a smaller network of servers in fewer locations. This could limit your options for accessing geo-restricted content or finding the fastest server.
Based in Russia: Kaspersky is a Russian company, which might raise concerns for some users regarding data privacy and potential government influence. While Kaspersky has a no-logs policy, the jurisdiction could be a consideration.
No advanced features: It lacks some advanced features found in other VPNs, such as obfuscation (hiding VPN traffic), split tunneling (choosing which apps use the VPN), or double VPN (routing your traffic through two VPN servers).
Overall:

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is a good option for businesses that prioritize security and privacy and want a user-friendly VPN solution. It’s particularly attractive when bundled with Kaspersky’s other business security products, offering a cost-effective way to enhance your online protection.

However, if your business requires a VPN with a large server network, advanced features, or if you have concerns about its jurisdiction, you might want to explore other VPN providers.

Here’s how to decide if Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is right for your business:

Assess your needs: What are your primary reasons for needing a VPN? (e.g., secure remote access, protecting sensitive data, bypassing geo-restrictions)
Evaluate the features: Compare Kaspersky’s VPN features with those offered by other business VPN providers.
Consider your budget: Determine if the pricing, especially when bundled with other Kaspersky products, aligns with your budget.
Read reviews: See what other businesses are saying about their experience with Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.
Test it out: Kaspersky may offer a free trial, so you can test the VPN in your business environment before committing to a subscription.

Yes, Kaspersky is still very much in business! However, there have been some recent changes to their operations, especially in the United States.

Here’s the current situation:

Globally: Kaspersky is a major player in the cybersecurity industry, operating in over 200 countries and territories. They continue to develop and provide a wide range of security solutions for consumers and businesses worldwide.
United States: In June 2024, the US government prohibited Kaspersky from selling or distributing updates to its software to US customers due to concerns about potential ties to the Russian government. This led Kaspersky to wind down its US operations in July 2024.
What does this mean for Kaspersky users?

Outside the US: If you’re outside the US, you can continue to use Kaspersky products and receive updates as usual.
In the US: If you’re in the US, you can still use existing Kaspersky products, but you won’t receive software updates. This means your protection might become outdated over time. Kaspersky replaced its software on US users’ computers with UltraAV software developed by the US cybersecurity firm Pango.
Despite the challenges in the US market, Kaspersky remains a significant player in the global cybersecurity landscape. They continue to innovate and provide security solutions to millions of users worldwide.

Key takeaways:

Kaspersky is still a major cybersecurity company with a global presence.
They are no longer operating in the US market due to government restrictions.
Users outside the US can continue to use Kaspersky products and receive updates.
US users can use existing products but won’t receive updates, and their software was replaced with UltraAV.
If you have further questions about Kaspersky’s operations or their products, you can visit their website or contact their customer support.