Kaspersky Security Cloud Free 21.21.7.384

Kaspersky Security Cloud Free is the no-cost package of Kaspersky Security Cloud, a consumer security service for Windows, Android and iOS. It combines malware protection, a limited VPN and Kaspersky Password Manager under one My Kaspersky account, and covers up to three devices. The Free license renews automatically, while the paid Personal and Family packages unlock the rest of the suite. Kaspersky has since replaced Security Cloud with its Standard, Plus and Premium plans.

Real-time malware protection on Windows

On a PC, Kaspersky Security Cloud Free carries the same core protection engine as the paid packages. File Anti-Virus runs in the background. It checks files when users open, save or launch them, as well as files on connected drives. It disinfects an infected file when possible; otherwise, it deletes the file and keeps a copy in Quarantine.

Web Anti-Virus watches browser traffic and blocks dangerous scripts and sites, and Mail Anti-Virus checks incoming and outgoing email. The package also includes protection against phishing. Heuristic analysis, rootkit detection and file reputation lookups in Kaspersky Security Network add further layers. Network Attack Blocker recognises attack patterns in incoming traffic and blocks network activity from the attacking computer.

System Watcher and ransomware

System Watcher monitors application behaviour. It stops exploits, reacts to suspicious activity and removes screen-locking ransom banners. It also rolls back changes a malicious program has made, including file encryption by ransomware. The Free package does not allow changes to System Watcher’s settings.

Scan types and scheduling

Kaspersky Security Cloud Free offers several on-demand scans:

• Full Scan checks every area of the computer and takes the longest.
• Quick Scan covers startup programs, system memory and boot files.
• Custom Scan checks a chosen file or folder, also available from the right-click menu.
• Removable drive scan checks USB sticks and external hard drives connected to the computer.
• Vulnerability scan looks for weaknesses in installed software rather than for malware.

A background scan checks memory, the system partition, boot sectors and startup objects. Users can also schedule scans. The program can scan OneDrive files as well. Gaming mode postpones scans, updates and notifications while a full-screen application is running. Kaspersky Rescue Disk scans and disinfects a computer when other methods cannot disinfect it.

Safer browsing and typing

URL Advisor marks links in search results in Chrome, Firefox and Chromium-based Edge with a coloured icon: green for safe, grey for unknown, orange for pages that could be misused and red for dangerous ones.

The On-Screen Keyboard lets users enter passwords and card details by clicking keys with the mouse. This prevents hardware keyloggers and screenshot-taking spyware from capturing them. It protects input in the same three browsers. Secure Keyboard Input, which shields typing on the physical keyboard, is a paid-only feature.

VPN and password storage

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is installed together with Kaspersky Security Cloud. When the app detects an insecure Wi-Fi network, such as one with weak encryption, it offers to route traffic through an encrypted connection to a Kaspersky server. The free VPN has a daily traffic limit and picks the server automatically. When traffic reaches the limit, the secure connection ends. The internet keeps working unprotected until the quota resets.

Kaspersky Password Manager, launched from the main window and installed on request, stores passwords and synchronises them across the user’s devices. The Free package includes its free version.

Cleanup and privacy tools

Kaspersky Security Cloud Free includes three tools for removing data from a PC:

• Privacy Cleaner finds activity traces such as search queries, visited sites, opened files and event log entries. It sorts the clean-up actions into three groups by risk, with an option to roll back.
• Unused Data Cleaner removes temporary files, browser cache and cookies, installation leftovers, logs and Recycle Bin contents.
• File Shredder overwrites files so ordinary recovery tools cannot restore them. Methods range from a two-pass quick delete to seven-pass algorithms. Only the quick and single-pass methods suit SSDs and USB drives.

Security news adds a personalised element. The app picks threat reports, such as a mass password theft affecting a service, based on the sites and programs in use. It shows them in the Notification Center with a short recommendation.

Free and paid packages compared

The paid packages of Kaspersky Security Cloud add these components:

On Android, Kaspersky Security Cloud Free provides a basic set of protection functions together with the limited VPN. If a paid subscription or trial lapses, the app falls back to the Free package rather than stopping protection.