You can now get one of the best anti-virus tools for your computer for free

people using computers (smaller)

Kaspersky Labs, one of the leading providers of anti-virus software, announced on Tuesday that it'll be offering its computer-protecting services for free.

The free service is called Kaspersky Free, and it includes anti-virus scanning and protection for your files, emails, and web usage, as well as automatic updates, and a quarantine service to safely contain malicious computer bugs.

Usually, certain features that are key for effective protection, like automatic updates, don't come with free anti-virus services. With that said, Kaspersky Free still isn't the full-fat service you'd normally get with the paid service, which costs $50 per year for a single device. Missing in Kaspersky Free are features like a virtual private network (VPN) to protect your privacy, extra security for online shopping and financial transactions, and parental controls.

Still, Kaspersky Free seemingly provides the basic protection that most people need to protect themselves from cyberthreats. And it won't come with ads, which you'll often find on free anti-virus software.

Kaspersky Labs is rolling out Kaspersky Free globally over the course of four months, with the US being one of the first countries where the service will be offered. kaspersky free global rollout

It's incredibly important to have some sort of security against malicious attacks on your computer, as threats come hand-in-hand with owning a computer that's connected to the internet.

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