Ease of Use:  

Kaspersky Anti-Virus is quite simple to use, with an easy interface and user-friendly navigation. The software is effectively organized for intuitive use, and features a simple color-coded graphic so you always know your security status (the traffic-light color-coded security status is actually big enough that “at-a-glance” is an understatement; more like “can’t miss it”).

The dashboard features simple left nav tabs and easy access to the quarantine, reports, and settings (where you’ll find the scheduler). The interface includes useful icons to identify the various components, and is effectively organized.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus has traditionally been geared towards the expert user. And while the advanced tools and abilities are still there (even allowing advanced users to perform scans at the command-line if they want), the security software is definitely showing more of a consumer-level approach. The 2010 version of Kaspersky provides solid security, and should work well for both beginners and experts alike.

Effectiveness:  

Kaspersky has historically been one of the most effective antivirus software around, often among the first to detect (and protect from) new viruses in the wild. The software continues to take advantage of the large user-base with their Kaspersky Security Network. This community approach basically lets each user (who opts in) to act as a lookout for the others. If Kaspersky gathers (anonymous) information from your computer about a new virus, they can find the cure and deliver it to everyone quickly.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus doesn’t just find and remove malware, but also keeps an eye on potential security threats. The integrated vulnerability scan checks for system and application issues that should be addressed to reduce/eliminate vulnerabilities.

Updates:  

Frequent updates are essential for effective antivirus and antispyware protection. Kaspersky Anti-Virus delivers updates on a regular basis, every hour, for continual security and to make sure that updates aren’t so big that they take forever to load. Updates are performed automatically, though you can also initiate a manual update at any time, from the software directly or from the Kaspersky notification icon in the system tray (lower right).

Another nice feature for those interested is the Virus Activity Review. This is a streamlined virus watch report (online, flash) that displays a number of interesting statistics and analysis on the current layout of viruses and other malware. With graphs and charts, it’s easy to get a glimpse into the world virus threat level and see how Kaspersky is staying up to date.

Several of the antivirus software we reviewed includes the capability to revert or “rollback” to a previously working database if the most recent update caused any problems. Kaspersky has this feature, and it’s easy to find and deploy. Simply go the ‘Update Center’ tab on the dashboard and find the tool.

And if your computer completely crashes, you’ll be glad you created a rescue boot disk (from the Security+ tab). The rescue disk can easily be burned, and will contain a disk image (ISO file) that can run on bootup (before the operating system) and help you revive a dead PC.