Emsisoft vs Kaspersky Overview

When it comes to safeguarding your device, both Emsisoft and Kaspersky have their strengths. This analysis will delve into their effectiveness against malware by conducting two significant tests on my PC to evaluate their real-time and on-demand protection capabilities.

However, malware defense isn’t the sole factor to consider. I will also look into the performance and speed of each software, user-friendliness, and the range of additional features offered by both providers. Customer support and pricing are also important aspects that will influence which antivirus solution stands out.

In need of a quick conclusion? Although both antivirus solutions have their merits, Kaspersky takes the lead over Emsisoft in overall performance. It offers robust virus defense along with exceptional value for its users.

For detailed insights on my findings regarding Emsisoft and Kaspersky, please refer to the breakdown below.

• Secure browser functionality
• Dual malware scanning engines
• Ransomware defenses
• Protection for online banking
• PC file backup options

Emsisoft offers a competitive annual subscription priced at $29.99, allowing users to secure every device within their household.

On the other hand, Kaspersky provides significant discounts of up to 50% across all its subscription plans, with prices starting from an attractive $23.99 per year.

Emsisoft is recognized for its robust antivirus solutions and its ability to counteract ransomware attacks orchestrated by cybercriminals. The company claims that it attracts about one million downloads annually. Since its inception in 2003 from its base in New Zealand, Emsisoft has steadily expanded its user community.

Kaspersky Lab was founded in Russia in 1997 and has developed into one of the largest antivirus providers in Europe over the past 25 years, safeguarding more than 400 million users worldwide.

The company is renowned for its cybersecurity knowledge and often partners with industry leaders, including Microsoft, to research and address emerging malware threats.

Emsisoft does not offer a free version or tiered premium options; instead, it provides a singular comprehensive package for its home users. The Emsisoft Anti-Malware Home product is designed to protect one, three, or five devices simultaneously.

Emsisoft primarily focuses on Windows, necessitating an additional mobile security plan for Android devices. Unfortunately, users with Apple products, including macOS and iOS, will need to seek alternative security solutions as Emsisoft does not extend support to these platforms.

For those considering Emsisoft, the annual subscription for a single PC is priced at $29.95, which is significantly lower than Kaspersky's basic offering. If you require coverage for multiple devices, Emsisoft provides options for three and five devices at $49.95 and $69.95, respectively. Currently, there are no discounts for the initial year, but purchasing a two or three-year plan can lead to savings. Additionally, Emsisoft's mobile security is available at $10.00 for one device and $16.67 for three devices.

On the other hand, Kaspersky’s antivirus suite comes equipped with anti-phishing features and real-time protection to safeguard against online threats. It also includes tools aimed at optimizing system performance.

Kaspersky's higher-tier products build upon the foundational features with a plethora of enhancements. Users can benefit from features like a VPN, webcam protection, screen control, and secure payment options, among others.

For those seeking comprehensive coverage, Kaspersky's Total Security package encompasses everything in the other offerings while introducing valuable extras like a GPS locator for kids, file security, and a password manager.

Furthermore, Security Cloud Personal allows users to tailor their security experience by selecting from a variety of features based on their individual needs. This suite includes three exclusive premium functions: a service that verifies if your email is compromised on platforms like Netflix and Facebook, a home network monitor, and a hard disk health monitor.

Kaspersky is currently offering a generous discount of $50 (approximately £36.91) on its Total Security suite. This brings the first-year price down to $49.99, providing a cost-effective solution for users.

For those needing protection across multiple platforms, Kaspersky stands out as it supports Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.

When evaluating the malware protection capabilities of Emsisoft versus Kaspersky, several key questions arise. How well does the live scanner perform in detecting viruses in downloaded files? Additionally, do on-demand scans effectively reveal any hidden viruses on the computer's hard drive?

To investigate these questions, I designed a set of tests. This included downloading four EICAR (European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research) test files along with three malicious software samples often used to mask infections, such as Trojans and adware.

Results of Real-Time Scanning

Initially, I focused on downloading the four EICAR sample files to assess how the real-time scanner responded—whether it would block the downloads or delete them.

Emsisoft successfully blocked all EICAR test files during the download process, with one exception: the text file, which was not identified when copied to a text document and saved.

Live samples were detected either while trying to download or during the process of extracting the zip file.

The evaluation of Kaspersky’s software reveals impressive real-time threat detection.

All test samples, including EICAR, were identified and neutralized immediately.

Evaluating On-Demand Scanning

To assess the effectiveness of Kaspersky and Emsisoft, I disabled real-time scanning and proceeded to download malware samples onto the system.

After obtaining the samples, I initiated a quick scan followed by a complete scan to document the results.

The quick scan, designed to target the most susceptible areas of the hard drive, yielded contrasting durations. Kaspersky's scan lasted 273 seconds, significantly longer than Emsisoft’s swift 22 seconds.

However, neither software identified any threats during these rapid scans, which aligns with previous experiences where quick scans failed to detect malware.

The results for the complete on-demand scans were more promising. Emsisoft executed its full system scan efficiently, completing it in just 22 minutes, analyzing a total of 73,071 files. Although it uncovered some malicious files, it did not capture all threats present.

In stark contrast, Kaspersky's full scan was notably lengthy, taking 3 hours and 47 minutes to analyze over 2.1 million files.

While Kaspersky excelled in scan thoroughness, having reviewed a significantly larger number of items, Emsisoft impressed with its speed and efficiency in scanning.

In evaluating Emsisoft and Kaspersky, I delved into independent antivirus lab results to assess their effectiveness against a variety of malware threats.

Beginning with the AV-Comparatives test, held from July to October 2021, 17 antivirus solutions faced off against 743 internet-based threats. Kaspersky excelled, achieving a protection rate of 99.9%, while also maintaining a clean slate with zero false positives. In contrast, Emsisoft's last recorded performance was in November 2018, where it protected against 99.1% of threats in a test involving 230 instances, also without any false positives.

Moving on to the Malware Protection Test, which focused on detecting existing malware on devices rather than online threats, Kaspersky utilized 10,020 recent malware samples in September 2021. It showed an offline detection rate of 84.7%, an online detection rate of 87.6%, and an outstanding online protection rate of 99.90%, but it did generate two false alarms. Notably, Emsisoft did not participate in this specific evaluation.

Next, looking at AV-Test results from September and October 2021, Kaspersky showcased its prowess against zero-day threats with a perfect score from 407 malware samples. It also achieved full protection against prevalent malware, assessed with 18,521 samples during the same period.

In stark contrast, Emsisoft's latest assessment occurred back in November and December 2016, where it scored 99% in November and slightly lower at 98.7% in December.

In summary, Kaspersky's recent evaluations indicate a strong performance in both real-world and malware detection tests, while Emsisoft's data is considerably older, limiting its direct comparability to Kaspersky's current capabilities.

Antivirus Performance Comparison

Based on my evaluations and findings from various testing laboratories, it's evident that while Emsisoft offers solid antivirus capabilities, Kaspersky stands out with its nearly flawless protection levels.

Let's delve into how the real-time scanning features of Emsisoft and Kaspersky impact overall PC performance. It's also essential to understand the effects of a full system scan on your device's efficiency. Do these antivirus solutions hinder your computer's speed or disrupt your everyday activities?

I conducted a series of tests to assess the effect of the quick scan on system resources, and the outcomes are summarized below.

Emsisoft shows a significant uptick in resource consumption during a brief scan, with CPU usage climbing by 25%, memory utilization increasing by 1%, and disk activity surging to an additional 1 MB/s.

In comparison, Kaspersky exhibited a similar 25% increase in CPU usage, but its memory consumption rose by 3%. Notably, disk usage experienced a dramatic escalation from 12 MB/s to 273 MB/s.

Following these observations, I assessed the effects of conducting a thorough system scan on overall resource allocation. The detailed findings can be found in the table that follows.

Emsisoft and Kaspersky are two prominent antivirus solutions, each with its strengths and weaknesses.

During a comprehensive scan, Emsisoft demonstrated a significant impact on system resources, showing a 30% rise in CPU utilization, a 7% increase in memory consumption, and a notable 170 MB/s spike in disk activity.

In contrast, Kaspersky's full system scan led to a dramatic surge in CPU usage, climbing from 46% to a full 100%. Memory usage increased by 6%, while disk activity saw an impressive jump from 12 MB/s to 316 MB/s.

To evaluate their performance, I turned to the latest AV-Comparatives lab tests, which assess the speed of PCs running antivirus software. The tests involved several tasks that included:

• Downloading files
• Browsing sites
• Copying files (both first and subsequent attempts)
• Installing and uninstalling software
• Archiving and unarchiving files
• Launching applications (first and subsequent runs)

The latest performance data was sourced from tests conducted in October 2021.

Kaspersky excelled in these evaluations, achieving a "very fast" rating on seven out of eight tests. The only area where it fell short of a perfect score was in launching applications on the first attempt, yet it still performed quickly enough that most users likely wouldn't perceive any slowdown.

Interestingly, Emsisoft was not included in these specific tests. However, my own testing indicated that Emsisoft had a minimal impact on system performance, a result that aligns with the brief duration of its scans.

When comparing the additional features offered by these antivirus providers, there are notable differences worth mentioning.

Emsisoft Anti-Malware Home includes:

• Anti-ransomware capabilities
• A behavior blocker
• File guard protection
• Web protection features
• Anti-phishing tools
• Automatic updates
• An emergency kit creator
• Remote management options

On the other hand, Kaspersky Total Security boasts:

• Protection against viruses, ransomware, and various threats
• Lightweight operation that doesn't hinder performance
• User-friendly setup and operation
• Compatibility across PC, Mac, and mobile devices
• Phishing protection
• An encrypted browser for secure browsing
• Parental control features
• A password manager
• File protection options

In summary, from a feature perspective, Emsisoft provides a dual engine scanner that detects viruses and unwanted applications, while Kaspersky focuses on a comprehensive suite of protections that emphasize usability and cross-platform support.Emsisoft provides robust browser security, designed to shield users from potential threats while surfing the web.
With an integrated browser extension, it effectively blocks harmful sites across all browser platforms, enhancing overall online safety.

In contrast, Kaspersky Total Security offers a comprehensive suite of features tailored for family protection and user convenience.

One of its standout tools is Safe Kids , which allows parents to monitor their children's online activities.
This feature enables the establishment of safe zones and sends alerts if children venture outside these designated areas, ensuring peace of mind.

Additionally, Kaspersky includes a Password Manager that keeps your login details secure in an encrypted vault.
This tool allows easy access across devices, ensuring that your credentials are always at your fingertips.

Kaspersky also emphasizes File Protection , scanning both the computer and connected storage devices for viruses and other security threats, safeguarding your important files.

When it comes to purchasing options, Emsisoft offers a straightforward approach with a single bundle for home users, mirroring the features found in its commercial versions.
The checkout process is user-friendly, allowing for easy cancellation of auto-renewal if desired.

On the other hand, Kaspersky's enrollment page details the total yearly cost upfront, showcasing any discounts available.
It also offers options to add extra devices during the checkout and provides a paid expert setup service.
Be aware that auto-renewal is switched on by default, so remember to opt out if you're not looking to continue the subscription long-term.

In terms of customer support, Kaspersky excels with a variety of assistance options.
Users can access an AI assistant for quick inquiries, utilize live chat for direct communication, or submit help tickets for more complex issues.
Additionally, Kaspersky maintains a comprehensive knowledge base and offers phone support to address common questions regarding their software, ensuring users receive the help they need.

The Emsisoft user interface is clean and user-friendly.

Navigating through it is quite easy.

In urgent situations, you can quickly adjust the firewall and system lockdown options using toggle buttons, a functionality that is often lacking in other antivirus interfaces.

The website features four large tiles that allow you to access commonly used functions with ease.

Kaspersky stands out with its modern and polished interface.

Each feature is accompanied by a visual representation, making it easy to understand their functions.

Users can effortlessly navigate through the options and check their subscription validity.

Additionally, Kaspersky provides notifications to keep users informed about their device’s condition.

The additional features are conveniently located in the bottom right corner of the dashboard.

On the other hand, Emsisoft's website is equipped with resources like live chat, FAQs, and user manuals.

While email support and a user community are available, phone assistance is not offered.

Kaspersky, however, boasts an extensive support section filled with informative videos and resources.

Users can reach out via email or utilize the chat feature, available 24/7 for immediate assistance.

In this analysis, Kaspersky clearly emerges as the superior option.

During my evaluation, it successfully identified all seven test files, showcasing its effectiveness.

Compared to Emsisoft, Kaspersky offers a broader array of features and outperforms it in independent antivirus testing results.

Moreover, new subscribers benefit from significant discounts during their first year.

What is a Netflix VPN and How to Get One

A Netflix VPN is a virtual private network designed to allow users to access region-restricted content on Netflix by connecting to servers located in various countries. By using a reliable VPN provider that supports streaming, users can download and install the VPN application, connect to a server in the desired region, and enjoy the diverse array of content available on Netflix from different parts of the world.

Why Choose SafeShell as Your Netflix VPN?

If people want to access region-restricted content by Netflix VPN, they may want to consider the SafeShell VPN . This VPN service offers several advantages that make it an attractive choice for streaming enthusiasts. SafeShell VPN features high-speed servers specifically optimized for Netflix, ensuring seamless playback without interruptions. These cutting-edge servers provide lightning-fast connection speeds, allowing users to enjoy buffer-free and high-definition streaming of their favorite shows and movies. Moreover, the ability to connect multiple devices at once—up to five simultaneously—means that users can enjoy netflix unblocked on various platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, and Apple Vision Pro.

In addition to its speed and connectivity features, SafeShell VPN offers an exclusive App Mode, which allows users to unlock and enjoy content from multiple regions simultaneously. This feature provides access to a vast array of streaming services and libraries, offering a world of entertainment without restrictions. Furthermore, SafeShell VPN ensures lightning-fast speeds without any bandwidth limitations, eliminating buffering and throttling issues. Users can stream, download, and browse at unprecedented speeds. Lastly, SafeShell's top-level security, powered by the proprietary ShellGuard VPN protocol, ensures private browsing with advanced encryption and robust security features, allowing users to surf the web with confidence and peace of mind.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Watch Netflix with SafeShell VPN

To access Netflix content from various regions using SafeShell Netflix VPN , start by subscribing to SafeShell VPN. Visit their official website at https://www.safeshellvpn.com / and select the plan that suits your needs and budget. After selecting the plan, click on the "Subscribe Now" button to complete your subscription. Once subscribed, proceed to download and install the SafeShell VPN application. Navigate to the download section on their website, select your device type—whether it be Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android—and download the corresponding version of the app or software.

After installation, open the SafeShell VPN app and log in using your credentials. SafeShell offers two modes, but for a seamless Netflix viewing experience, choose the APP mode. Next, browse through the list of available VPN servers and select one located in the region whose Netflix library you want to access—such as the US, UK, or Canada. Click "Connect" to establish a connection. Once connected, open the Netflix app or visit the Netflix website, and log in with your Netflix account. You can now enjoy streaming the content available in the region you selected, thanks to SafeShell Netflix VPN.