Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 in Software

Kaspersky has been our A-List choice for nearly 18 months, thanks principally to its stellar malware detection. This month, it's topped by a few of its rivals, but it remains a convincing suite. Its 88% malware detection rate still sits at the head of the pack, and although a 40% score in the web test may sound low, it's no worse than average.

And when we tried to launch a network-based attack on our test PC, Kaspersky warned us we were being scanned, then automatically blocked connections from the attacking IP address for 60 minutes - very reassuring.

Kaspersky also takes an agreeably cautious approach to infected email, bringing up a preview of suspect emails so you can reject them before they even reach Windows Mail. Its antispam plug-in is ugly, though: it gives Windows Mail a whole extra toolbar to accommodate just three new buttons.

The main interface feels a little overwrought too, at least compared with the likes of Eset Smart Security. Each tab contains several sub-tabs, which in turn are divided into multiple panels, and buttons aren't always where you expect to find them. But it loads very quickly and keeps resource usage impressively low.

Our experiences weren't quite hiccup-free: the package got hung up on one of our test files, and wouldn't let us repair or ignore it - in the end, we had to reboot to silence the constant warnings.

But overall, Kaspersky Internet Security is still a capable antimalware package, especially for file-based threats - and it's efficient too.

Author: Darien Graham-Smith