The Impact of Kaspersky on Internet Speeds: A Cautionary Tale
In my recent experience, I’ve encountered a significant issue with Kaspersky antivirus that has forced me to reconsider its use. It appears that this software is throttling my internet speed by as much as 60%. The moment I shut down Kaspersky, my connection speed immediately returns to its normal performance level. For someone like me, who heavily relies on fast internet for downloading large files, this is a major concern.
As I often need to download sizable data, the times I require my antivirus protection the most also coincide with my need for an optimal internet connection. Unfortunately, it seems Kaspersky is preventing me from having both.
Before switching to Kaspersky, I was a satisfied user of BitDefender. During my five years with BitDefender, I never experienced any slowdown of my internet speed, which is a stark contrast to my current predicament. Additionally, I have tested other popular antivirus solutions such as McAfee, Norton, and Avira, all of which did not exhibit this throttling behavior.
I have even installed Kaspersky on my work computer, where I witnessed the same troubling results. To troubleshoot the issue, I began disabling Kaspersky’s protection features one by one. Unfortunately, no specific feature seemed to be causing the slowdown. I also tried turning off all security features altogether, but again, there was no noticeable improvement in my internet speed. Interestingly, I understand that BitDefender offers similar protection features, yet I managed to run it without any detrimental impact on my connection.
My attempts to resolve this issue through Kaspersky’s tech support have been largely fruitless. After a lengthy exchange, I ended up with no solution and was denied a refund, leaving me frustrated with what I consider to be an ineffective antivirus program.
To be clear, I’m not trying to promote a particular product, but my shift from BitDefender to Kaspersky has proven to be a regrettable mistake—one I made out of a desire to explore different options.
If you’re considering antivirus software, I strongly advise against Kaspersky, especially if you rely on fast internet speeds like I do. The trade-off of a 60% speed reduction is simply unacceptable. I wish I had stayed with BitDefender, which has consistently served me well.
For those interested, I have included screenshots to illustrate the extent of the slowdown:
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