Bake-Off: Security Rivals Face Off

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0
Kaspersky's Anti-Virus 6.0 for Windows Workstations offers the option of being remotely managed via a network console, making it a better fit for VARs than other Kaspersky wares, such as its consumer/retail-oriented Internet Security 7.0.

Anti-Virus 6.0 offers the usual combination of features one would expect in a desktop security suite. Users will find antivirus, antimalware, antirootkit and antiphishing technology. Although users will be adequately served by the included feature set, it's the subtle and not-so-subtle differences that help to define suitability for a particular environment. For example, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0 has a firewall that scans all incoming traffic on port 80 for malware embedded in Web sites, a handy feature for those users who frequent numerous new Web sites and are not protected by an advanced firewall or security appliance.

The product is available via download from Kaspersky's online partner portal and offers simple, wizard-driven installation and product configuration. It also offers to protect the system during installation with a stand-alone defense module.

The product allows installation and configuration to take place without a license key, offering activation at a later date. System builders could easily bundle a trial version of the product with new systems and then offer their customers a discounted subscription with centralized support for the system, the first steps to building a service-oriented security offering.

All three products discussed here are easy to use, but Kaspersky's no-nonsense approach and concise management screen make it the easiest for a neophyte to set up correctly. The interface allows users to drill down into the more complex features of the product, yet those users will never lose their way back to a simplified menu.

As with most antivirus products, Kaspersky initiates a full system scan after installation. That process took 5 minutes, 1 second to process 39,618 identified objects, a decent performance considering some products can take up to three times longer.

Impact on overall system performance is another consideration. After installation and configuration of Kaspersky's software, the average PassMark score dropped to 368.2, a negligible drop from the system's pre-installation mark of 370.2 and the smallest performance dip logged by the three products measured here.

Kaspersky offers a robust multi-level channel program that offers a partner portal and impressive margins. But, as with the other security software vendors reviewed here, VARs can be cut out of the equation by direct software renewal offers. The product is priced at $79.95, including one year of updates.

Next: Grisoft AVG Internet Security