Kaspersky has finally launched the Kaspersky Free Antivirus on a global scale. Back in 2016, the antivirus was available for download in select regions, and it’s only now that Kaspersky is rolling out the program globally. The Kaspersky Free is a watered down free version of the Kaspersky Internet Security.

The rollout is expected to take place in phases between July to November 2017 and will eventually cover include all the countries. In the first phase, the program will be released in the United States, Canada, and other Asia Pacific countries. The next phase covers Latin America, Africa, and India. The third and the last phase will include Europe, Japan and South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.

That being said Windows users will still be able to download the Kaspersky Free from the official website. Although it is not a localized package, the installation is still without any hiccups. When you run the installation file, it will further open a Download installer that will download the entire program. Kaspersky Free extends protection to not only your files but also your instant messenger and email modules. This is very crucial since most of the malware endpoints are via malicious email/instant message attachments. Needless to say one needs to update the database in order to include the latest virus signatures. The free version also offers cloud protection.

Kaspersky Free extends protection to not only your files but also your instant messenger and email modules. This is very crucial since most of the malware endpoints are via malicious email/instant message attachments. Needless to say one needs to update the database in order to include the latest virus signatures. The free version also offers cloud protection.

That being said, other advanced and essential features like Safe Money, Privacy Protection, Parental Control and Protection for all devices are reserved for the paid version. The best part, however, is that the Kaspersky Free uses the same protection engine as the full version and is very light in terms of footprint. On the other hand, Microsoft is giving a still competition to other security solutions with its own Windows Defender. The Defender has come a long way, and it recently announced controlled folder access feature as well.