Kaspersky or Symantec?
Criteria for Suitable Antivirus solution
TOP3 Summary Reports
Criteria for Suitable AV solution
- Consistent Top 5 in the last 5 years
- Improving ranking each year
- Not resources-hungry – can affect workstation/server performance
- Reliable virus/malware detection – Less false positive detection
- Took part in all independent testing – no fear of close scrutiny
- Focus Business in AV and Security (no distraction from other business)
- Close working relationship with OEM manufacturer
| 2016 |  |
| 2015 |  |
| 2014 |  |
| 2013 |  |
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection 2009-2014: Kaspersky moving up Charts
| Year | Position | Magic Quadrant Chart |
| 2017 |
*Intel Security (Formerly McAfee) |
 |
| 2016 |
|
 |
| 2014/2015 |
|
 |
| 2013 |
|
 |
| 2012 |
|
 |
| 2010 |
|
 |
| 2009 |
|
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Independent AV Analysis
- http://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/business-windows-client/windows-7/ (Enterprise)
- http://www.av-test.org/en/award/2014/
- http://www.av-comparatives.org/corporate-reviews/ (Enterprise)
- http://www.dennistechnologylabs.com/reports/s/a-m/2014/ (Consumer/Enterprise)
- https://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/archive/list (Consumer)
- https://www.nsslabs.com/
- https://www.mrg-effitas.com/
- https://www.icsalabs.com/technology-program/anti-virus/av-monthly-testing-reports
- https://pcsl.r.worldssl.net/report/android/pcsl_android_malware_detection_201501_en.pdf (Android Malware Detection Test)
Documentation
Gartner Reports
- Magic Quadrant For Endpoint Protection Platform 2017
- Magic Quadrant For Endpoint Protection Platform 2016
- Magic Quadrant For Endpoint Protection Platform 2014/2015
- Magic Quadrant For Endpoint Protection Platform 2013
- Magic Quadrant For Endpoint Protection Platform 2012
- Magic Quadrant For Endpoint Protection Platform 2010
- Magic Quadrant For Endpoint Protection Platform 2009
Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
- Dennis Technology Lab Q4-2015 Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
- Dennis Technology Lab Q3-2015 Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
- Dennis Technology Lab Q2-2015 Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
- Dennis Technology Lab Q1-2015 Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
- Dennis Technology Labs Q4-2014 Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
- Dennis Technology Labs Q3-2014 Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
- Dennis Technology Labs Q2-2014 Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
- Dennis Technology Labs Q1-2014 Enterprise Antivirus Comparison
TOP3 Comparison
| AV-Comparatives 2011-2016  |
Kaspersky Lab achieved the top Product of The Year (in 2011, 2013 and 2015), Top Rated (in 2012 and 2014) and Outstanding Product (in 2016) awards, as well as achieving the top score overall for 6 years running. Annual awards for 2016 are based on the main public test-series including a RealWorld Protection Test, Performance Test, File Detection Test, FalseAlarm Test and Malware Removal Test. These tests were conducted with consumer products which share many components (including scanning engines, heuristics and proactive detection) with their corporate equivalents. See the Summary Reports and the Test Results. |
| AV-Test 2016 awards  |
In 2016, Kaspersky Endpoint Security and Kaspersky Small Office Security both received the ‘Best Protection’ award from AV-TEST. These awards are based on the results of a series of bi-monthly tests conducted on corporate endpoint security products. The tests simulate a variety of attack scenarios such as threats via email attachments, infected websites or malicious files transferred from external storage devices. When carrying out these tests, AV-TEST takes the entire functionality of the protection program into account. See the Test Results. |
| SE Labs and Dennis Technology Labs 2013-2016  |
The Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows corporate security solution demonstrated significantly better results than Trend Micro OfficeScan with Intrusion Defense Firewall in all 15 runs of the independent Enterprise Endpoint Protection test in which both participated. (Trend Micro did not participate in latest Q4 2016 test run.) Over the latest 14 tests, Kaspersky Lab was awarded the highest possible AAA rating. The See test Results for Y2013, Y2014, Y2015 and Y2016. |
| MRG Effitas 2014-2015 Real World Enterprise Security Exploit Prevention Test  |
Over two years of testing, Kaspersky Lab`s AEP technology has demonstrated a significant advantage in protection against exploits and modern malware threats as confirmed by independent tests. The test results confirm our unique protection quality – only Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business blocked 100% of exploits. Furthermore, AEP acting alone blocked more exploits than competitors’ solutions could achieve with more of their own protection components switched on. See test results for Y2014 and Y2015. |
Criteria for Suitable AV solution
- Consistent Top 5 in the last 5 years
- Improving ranking each year
- Not resources-hungry – can affect workstation/server performance
- Reliable virus/malware detection – Less false positive detection
- Took part in all independent testing – no fear of close scrutiny
- Focus Business in AV and Security (no distraction from other business)
- Close working relationship with OEM manufacturer
Conclusion
- Kaspersky and Symantec are quite close competition.
- Kaspersky fared slightly better than Symantec.
- Kaspersky is gradually picking up pace in the AV competition in the last 5 years
- Kaspersky is more aggressive in participate in antivirus testing.
Kaspersky has been our preferred choice for the last 5 years. Symantec is our 2nd choice as it has lost focus and direction in antivirus.
Costing
| Symantec Endpoint Protection Essential (Renewal | $37 per license |
| Kaspersky Endpoint Security – Select (Workstation/Server) (Competitive Upgrade) | $33 per license |