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Cybersecurity · head to head

Kaspersky Total Security vs Trivy

Kaspersky Total Security logo

Kaspersky Total Security

Cybersecurity

Complete protection for your digital life

From
Free
Rated
-
Trivy logo

Trivy

Cybersecurity

Open-source vulnerability and misconfiguration scanner

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kaspersky Total Security uS sales banned since June 2024 with support ending September 29, 2024; Trivy reports what public advisory databases know, so coverage varies by ecosystem and unfixed CVEs create noise
  • They diverge on capability: Kaspersky Total Security covers Real-time protection, Trivy covers Multi-target scanning.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kaspersky Total Security and Trivy actually diverge.

Attributes where Kaspersky Total Security and Trivy differ
AttributeKaspersky Total SecurityTrivy
Pricing modelUnknownOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, macOS, iOS, AndroidLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
Founded1997Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Kaspersky Total Security

  • Real-time protection
  • Ransomware protection
  • Safe Money
  • Privacy protection
  • Parental controls
  • Password manager
  • VPN
  • File encryption

Only in Trivy

  • Multi-target scanning
  • Vulnerability detection
  • Misconfiguration checks
  • Secret detection

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Kaspersky Total Security

  • Antivirusnot Trivy
  • Internet Securitynot Trivy
  • Parental Controlnot Trivy

Trivy

  • Failing a pull request when a container image introduces a known CVEnot Kaspersky Total Security
  • Scanning Terraform and Kubernetes manifests for misconfiguration before applynot Kaspersky Total Security
  • Catching committed secrets as part of an existing CI stepnot Kaspersky Total Security

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Kaspersky Total Security

  • US sales banned since June 2024 with support ending September 29, 2024
  • VPN limited to 200 MB per day and servers in only 24 countries
  • Password manager has privacy concerns with questionable terms and policies
  • VPN and password manager only included in Plus and Premium tiers, not in Standard
  • Occasionally flags legitimate files as false positives
  • Firewall leaves open ports on public networks

Trivy

  • Reports what public advisory databases know, so coverage varies by ecosystem and unfixed CVEs create noise
  • No built-in triage or exception workflow, so suppressing accepted risk is managed in config files
  • Findings are point-in-time from CI, with no continuous runtime monitoring unless you add the commercial platform

Pricing, plan by plan

Kaspersky Total Security

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic antivirus
    • No real-time protection
  • Standard$38.99/year
    • Antivirus
    • Firewall
    • Anti-phishing
  • Plus$52.99/year
    • Standard features
    • Password manager
    • VPN with limit
  • Premium$74.99/year
    • Plus features
    • Identity protection
    • Unlimited VPN

Trivy

Free
  • TrivyFree
    • Full scanner
    • Unlimited scans
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Kaspersky Total Security if

  • You need real-time protection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ransomware protection.

Choose Trivy if

  • You need multi-target scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want vulnerability detection.

Questions people ask

Is Kaspersky Total Security or Trivy better?
Neither clearly leads. Kaspersky Total Security starts at Free and Trivy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kaspersky Total Security or Trivy?
Kaspersky Total Security starts at Free and Trivy at Free.
Does Kaspersky Total Security or Trivy run on more platforms?
Kaspersky Total Security runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Trivy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Kaspersky Total Security for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Kaspersky Total Security best used for?
Kaspersky Total Security is most often used for antivirus, internet security, parental control. Of those, antivirus and internet security are not what Trivy is typically brought in for.
What can Kaspersky Total Security do that Trivy cannot?
Kaspersky Total Security covers Real-time protection, Ransomware protection, Safe Money, Privacy protection. Trivy covers Multi-target scanning, Vulnerability detection, Misconfiguration checks, Secret detection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Kaspersky Total Security: What does Kaspersky Total Security include?

Kaspersky Total Security (Premium tier) includes antivirus, firewall, password manager, VPN with 200 MB daily limit, parental controls (Kaspersky Safe Kids), and anti-ransomware protection.

Source
Trivy: Is Trivy free?

Yes, open source from Aqua Security with no licence fee. Aqua sells a commercial platform around it.

Kaspersky Total Security: How much does Kaspersky Total Security cost?

Kaspersky Standard costs $38.99/year for 3 devices. Plus tier is $52.99/year for 5 devices. Premium is $74.99/year for 10 devices. Multi-year discounts available.

Source
Trivy: What can Trivy scan?

Container images, filesystems, Git repositories, Kubernetes clusters and infrastructure-as-code, for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, secrets and licences.

Kaspersky Total Security: Is Kaspersky available in the United States?

No. The U.S. government banned Kaspersky software sales in June 2024, with support and software updates ceasing September 29, 2024, citing national security concerns regarding Russian government ties.

Source
Trivy: Does Trivy need a server?

No. It is a single binary, which is a large part of why it became a default in CI.

Kaspersky Total Security: Does Kaspersky have parental controls?

Yes. Premium and Plus tiers include one year free access to Kaspersky Safe Kids parental controls app, which provides activity reports, app monitoring, usage limits, and geo-fencing with location tracking.

Source
Kaspersky Total Security: How much does the VPN provide?

Kaspersky's free VPN (Kaspersky Secure Connection) offers only 200 MB per day of traffic, limiting data usage. Full VPN is included in Plus and Premium plans but with limited servers in only 24 countries.

Source
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