Kaspersky Lab has released Kaspersky Total Security – multi-device, a security solution for home users that protects Windows, OS X, Android, iOS and Windows Phone platforms.
The solution is the successor to Kaspersky PURE and is designed to protect against cyber threats and manage the digital assets of a modern Internet user.
Online security is now more than a matter of responding to a changing threat landscape – the Internet environment itself is becoming more complicated. According to a survey¹ conducted by B2B International and Kaspersky Lab, an average family now has five devices with Internet access, and this number is growing every year. Moreover, 96% of users in South Africa trust their computers and smartphones not only with their valuable data but also with their personal life.
“The rapid development of IT technology has resulted in the expansion of the Internet-based threats spectrum, so users can no longer cope with a standard security solution,” says Nikita Shvetsov, CTO at Kaspersky Lab. “To ensure that your information, your personal online space and your financial transactions are all kept safe, it is necessary to use security solutions that integrate the full range of features and tools, such as Kaspersky Total Security – multi-device”
According to Kaspersky Security Network, about 300 000 malicious programmes for Microsoft Windows appear every day. Google Android is also under threat: 19% of Android users encountered a mobile threat at least once over 2014. The amount of dangerous software for Apple OS X is also growing steadily: in 2014, a total of 3,7-million attempts to infect OS X- based computers were blocked by Kaspersky Lab products.
Many threats, such as data interception via Wi-Fi or network attacks, menace users on all platforms.
That is why Kaspersky Lab experts are constantly improving protection technologies for computers and mobile devices. For example, heuristic analysis detects new malware based on suspicious behaviour; Network Attack Blocker for Windows and OS X prevents system infection or data theft due to a network attack; Wi-Fi Security Notification for Windows warns users if they are trying to connect to an unsecured network.
The effectiveness of Kaspersky Lab protection technologies for different platforms is confirmed by independent test labs.
The survey shows that 56% of Internet users are worried about whether someone is using their device to spy on them. To protect users’ privacy a number of technologies have been developed.
Webcam Protection for Windows monitors all attempts to access the webcam by any programme. Privacy Protection for Android, in turn, enables users to configure filtration rules for incoming calls and messages and hide all traces of communication with certain contacts, including calls and SMS. Privacy Cleaner for Windows wipes the history of user activity (visited pages, downloaded files, etc.), and File Shredder removes any file so that it cannot be restored.
According to the survey, over the past year 64% of users locally experienced an attempt to access their payment accounts; 10% of respondents admitted that those attempts were successful and cost them money. Victims in South Africa reported an average loss of $190. To protect the users from such losses, the Safe Money component for Windows-based computers and OS X was developed.
The solution scans the operating system for vulnerabilities via which dangerous software can secretly penetrate the computer. It also verifies the legitimacy of any payment websites opened by the user. If the site is confirmed as legitimate, Safe Money mode is activated: during the payment session it filters out all activities that are not related to the payment system, for example, any attempts at data interception. Virtual Keyboard and Secure Keyboard are also available to the user.
The solution confirms that the banking or payment website is legitimate to ensure that users do not find their transactions hijacked by cybercriminals. Safe Money also features a virtual keyboard that prevents keyloggers from accessing the personal data that you type on your keyboard.
The survey found that 36% of users globally have more than ten online accounts simultaneously. However, the familiar combination of username and password can be a goldmine for cybercriminals – with the help of this combination they can gain access to the user’s valuable data and online accounts.
Kaspersky Total Security – multi-device includes Kaspersky Password Manager, which generates secure passwords² for the user’s personal accounts and applications, and stores them in an encrypted form to protect against unauthorised access. The data is synchronised on all the owner’s devices be it Windows, OS X, Android or iOS. Remembering a single master password is enough to ensure credentials for all other services are entered automatically.
Users worldwide reported that approximately 15% of the information stored on their devices is unique and would be irreplaceable in case of loss. Moreover, according to B2B International and Kaspersky Lab, the average cost of the media files alone stored on any one computer is $429. Other data stored there could push the price tag even higher.
To protect personal files Kaspersky Total Security – multi-device integrates a back-up function, either on-demand or scheduled (for Windows only). The copies can be stored on a local or network disk, an ftp-server or in the Dropbox cloud storage.
For those 66% of users in South Africa who worry about their personal data being stolen, Kaspersky Total Security – multi-device integrates Anti-Theft (for Android-based devices) and Data Encryption (for PC Windows) features in addition to traditional antivirus technology. Anti-Theft can remotely block the lost device, locate it via GPS or wipe the data stored on it. Data Encryption enables the creation of password-protected encrypted folders for particularly sensitive files.
According to the survey 47% of respondents worry about what their children might come across on the Internet. Kaspersky Total Security – multi-device helps to protect children from Internet-based threats.
With Parental Control for Windows and OS X, parents can set the time their children are allowed to spend online, restrict the applications they can run and control what information they share on the web. In addition, Parental Control – as well as Safe Browsers for iOS and Windows Phone – allow parents to select categories of sites with inappropriate web content (such as violence, drugs, online games, etc.) and block access to them.
To make security management on multiple devices more convenient Kaspersky Total Security – multi-device is integrated with the My Kaspersky portal.
Once your account is registered on the portal, you can see the status of all devices with Kaspersky Lab solutions in a single window. This includes activation and expiration dates of the security solutions installed on them, the time of the last check and the databases status. You can remotely manage licenses and change product settings for Windows and OS X. You can also remotely run scans, download new database updates, etc. In addition, My Kaspersky manages the Anti-Theft for Android function.
The built-in My Kaspersky Store allows users to download and install Kaspersky Lab’s free solutions and buy paid products.
