[Topic 126993]

What is the purpose of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection

Public Wi-Fi networks may be under-protected, for example, if a Wi-Fi network uses a vulnerable encryption protocol or a weak password. When you make Internet purchases over insecure Wi-Fi networks, your passwords and other confidential data are transmitted in non-encrypted text. Hackers can intercept your confidential data such as your bank card number and obtain access to your money.

When you connect to a Wi-Fi network, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection checks the security of the network. If the Wi-Fi network is not secure, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection prompts you to enable a secure connection via a specially allocated server located in the region you specify. When VPN is enabled, data from a website is first received by the allocated server. Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection then sends the data to your device over an encrypted secure connection.

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection provides the following advantages:

• Safe use of banking websites and payment systems

  Hackers will not be able to intercept your bank card number on a website when you make online payments, book hotel rooms, or rent cars.

• Protection for your secret information

  No one will be able to determine the IP address of your device or your location.

• Protection of your privacy

  No one will be able to intercept and read your private correspondence on social networks.

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection can also be used for other types of network connections, such as a local Internet connection or USB modem connection.

By default, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not prompt you to enable VPN if the HTTPS protocol is used to connect to a website.

Changing your region or city when visiting banking websites, online stores, social networks, chats, or email websites can trigger anti-fraud systems. Anti-fraud systems are intended for analyzing online financial transactions for signs of fraudulent operations.

Use of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is regulated by local legislation. You may use the application only for its intended purpose and without violating local legislation.

[Topic 134442]

What's new

Kaspersky created a special version of the application for residents of the U.S. state of California. If you are a resident of the U.S. state of California, you need to download and install this version of the application.

The following new features and improvements are introduced in Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection:

• Added support for Microsoft Windows 11.
• Added support for Microsoft Windows 10 21H2.
• VPN data transfer rate is increased.
• Added support for the new format of regions through which the Kaspersky VPN connection is established. Now you can select a city in addition to a country.
• A secure connection has been improved through more efficient switching between virtual servers.
• A prompt was added to the user interface to install the new Kaspersky Plus application instead of Kaspersky Internet Security.
• Now you can activate Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection using an activation code for the Kaspersky Plus application if the Kaspersky Plus application is not connected to My Kaspersky.
• If Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection was activated using an activation code issued for the Kaspersky Plus application, the Subscription window now includes information about the Kaspersky Plus application subscription.
• The Setup Wizard was brought into accordance with the new design.
• Kaspersky VPN is no longer automatically turned on for new users when connecting to unsecured networks and opening unsecured websites.
• Now you can establish a secure connection via OpenVPN clients.

[Topic 126994]

Hardware and software requirements

General requirements

• 150 MB free disk space on the hard drive
• Internet connection
• Microsoft Windows Installer 4.5 or later
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4 or later
• Microsoft .NET Desktop Runtime 5 or later

Operating system requirements

Supported browsers

• Chromium-based Microsoft Edge 77.x – 94.x;
• Mozilla Firefox versions 52.x or later;
• Mozilla Firefox ESR 52.x or later;
• Google Chrome versions 48.x or later;
• Yandex Browser 18.3.1 or later.

Requirements for tablet computers

• Microsoft Windows 8, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Windows 11;
• Intel Celeron processor with a clock speed of 1.66 GHz or faster;
• 1000 MB free RAM.

Requirements for netbooks

• Intel Atom CPU 1.60 GHz or faster;
• 1024 MB free RAM;
• 10.1-inch display with 1024x600 screen resolution;
• Intel GMA 950 graphics core or later.

[Topic 127345]

How to install the application

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is installed separately or as part of Kaspersky Plus.

If Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is installed as part of Kaspersky Plus, you do not have to take any additional actions, the application will be automatically installed to your computer.

If you install Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection separately, installation is performed with the help of the Wizard.

The Wizard consists of a series of pages (steps), which you can navigate through by clicking the Back and Next buttons. To close the Wizard after it finishes, click the Done button. To stop the Wizard's activity at any step of installation, close the Wizard window.

The number and sequence of steps in the Setup Wizard depend on the region where you install the application. In some application versions, the Wizard prompts you to accept additional agreements regarding how your personal data is processed.

How to install Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection from Kaspersky Plus

[Topic 127346]

Step 1. Checking for a newer version of the application

Before installation, the Setup Wizard checks the update servers of Kaspersky for a newer version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

If the Setup Wizard does not detect a newer version of the application on Kaspersky update servers, it starts installing the current version.

If the Setup Wizard detects a newer version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection on Kaspersky update servers, it prompts you to download and install it on your computer.

[Topic 127348]

Step 2. Starting installation of the application

During this step, the Setup Wizard offers to install the application.

To proceed with installation, click the Continue button.

Depending on the installation type and the localization language, during this step the Setup Wizard may prompt you to view the License Agreement concluded between you and Kaspersky, as well as ask whether you want to participate in Kaspersky Security Network.

[Topic 127349]

Step 3. Reviewing the End User License Agreement

This step of the Setup Wizard is displayed for some localization languages when installing Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection from an installation package downloaded from the Internet.

During this step, the Setup Wizard asks you to review the End User License Agreement concluded between you and Kaspersky.

Read the End User License Agreement thoroughly and, if you agree with all of its terms, click the Accept button. Installation of the application to your computer then continues.

If the terms of the End User License Agreement are not accepted, the application will not be installed.

In some application versions, you must also accept the terms of the Privacy Policy to continue installation.

[Topic 127350]

Step 4. Kaspersky Security Network Statement

During this step, the Setup Wizard invites you to participate in Kaspersky Security Network. Participation in the program involves sending information about threats detected on your computer, running applications, and downloaded signed applications, as well as information about your operating system, to AO Kaspersky Lab. No personal data received from you is collected, processed, or stored.

Review the Kaspersky Security Network Statement. If you accept all of its terms, in the Wizard window, click the Accept button.

If you do not want to participate in Kaspersky Security Network, click the Decline button.

After you accept or decline participation in Kaspersky Security Network, application installation continues.

In some application versions, the Kaspersky Security Network Statement includes information about personal data processing.

[Topic 127352]

Step 5. Installation

Installation of the application can take some time. Wait for it to finish.

Upon installation completion, the Setup Wizard automatically proceeds to the next step.

During installation, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection checks the computer for compliance with hardware and software requirements:

• Whether the operating system and Service Pack meet the software requirements;
• All the required applications are available;
• The amount of free disk space is enough for installation;
• The user installing the application has administrator privileges.

If any of the above-listed requirements is not met, a corresponding notification is displayed.

[Topic 127353]

Step 6. Completing installation

During this step, the Wizard informs you of the completion of application installation.

In some cases, you may need to restart your operating system to complete installation.

[Topic 90750]

Installing the application from the command prompt

You can install Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection from the command prompt.

Certain commands can be executed only under the administrator account.

Command prompt syntax:

<path to the file of the installation package> [parameters]

Detailed instructions and a list of installation settings are available on the Technical Support website.

[Topic 134438]

How to upgrade a previous version of the application

If an earlier version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is installed on your computer, you can upgrade it to the latest version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

To upgrade the application:

start installing a new version of the application.

If you have an active subscription for an earlier version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection, you do not need to activate the application: the Setup Wizard will automatically retrieve information about the subscription for the previous version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection and apply it during installation of the new version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

An established secure connection will be terminated during the application upgrade.

[Topic 127354]

How to uninstall the application

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is uninstalled with the help of the Setup Wizard.

To start the Wizard on a computer running under Microsoft Windows 7 or earlier versions,

in the Start menu, select All Programs → Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection → Remove Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

How to start the Wizard on a computer running Microsoft Windows 8 or later

[Topic 128326]

Step 1. Preparing to uninstall the application

The Preparing to uninstall the application window opens.

Wait for application removal preparation to complete and click the Next button.

[Topic 128328]

Step 2. Confirming application removal

At this step, click Next to begin removing the application or click Cancel if you want to cancel application removal.

[Topic 128330]

Step 3. Saving the application settings

During this step, select the Save operational settings of the application check box if you want to save the previously configured application settings on the device.

If the check box is selected:

• The following application settings are saved:
  • Rules for starting the application at computer startup;
  • Settings for enabling VPN;
  • VPN settings when connecting to Wi-Fi networks;
  • VPN settings for selected Wi-Fi networks;
  • VPN settings for website categories and for selected websites.
• The following settings are not saved:
  • Subscription settings;
  • My Kaspersky connection settings.

If the check box is cleared, only the VPN settings for selected websites are saved.

Click the Next button to continue removing the application.

[Topic 128331]

Step 4. Completing application removal

During this step, the Wizard removes the application from your device.

During removal of the application, you must restart your computer. If you choose not to restart your computer immediately, the removal procedure will be completed after the next restart or after you shut down your computer and turn it on again.

[Topic 178721]

How to enter activation code in the application

If you have an activation code, you can enter it in the application to activate Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection subscription.

To enter activation code in the application:

1. Open the main application window and click the Enter activation code link to proceed to the activation code entry window.
2. In the entry field, enter the activation code and click the Activate button.
3. The application activation attempt will be made:
   • If activation succeeded, the message is displayed informing that the application is activated and all restrictions are eliminated. Click OK.
   • If an error occurred during activation of the application, do the following:
     1. Disconnect your device from My Kaspersky and reconnect it. Enter the activation code again.
     2. Click the Details button.

        This will take you to My Kaspersky where you can check the status of your subscription. For more details on application activation errors please refer to My Kaspersky Help.

[Topic 196379]

How to protect data if your secure connection is lost

When you enable a secure connection, we will reliably protect your data while surfing the Internet. However, if you lose your secure connection, your data will remain unprotected, and attackers can steal it. To ensure that your data is always protected even when your secure connection is interrupted, we added the Kill Switch feature to Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

By default, the Kill Switch feature is turned off and Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not block your Internet access when your secure connection is interrupted. If the Kill Switch is enabled and secure connection is interrupted, internet acess is fully blocked. Internet access is not blocked, if you have disabled secure connection yourself.

To enable Kill Switch:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Kill Switch section.
4. Switch the Kill Switch toggle to On.

The application will block your Internet access if your secure connection is interrupted.

[Topic 184028]

How to disconnect a device from a subscription

Subscription allows you to use the Unlimited version of the application on the specified number of devices. If you have a subscription for five devices, you can choose which five devices you want to use the Unlimited version on. If you have already connected five devices but want to connect another one, you can disconnect the one that is already used and connect another device instead.

The Unlimited version of the application can be used if Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is installed on the device and the device is connected to My Kaspersky.

To disconnect a device from a subscription:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Profile.
4. In the Profile window, click the Disconnect device from subscription link.

   A window opens to confirm detaching the device from the subscription.

5. Click the Sign out button.

The device will be disconnected from My Kaspersky.

Whenever you try to connect more devices than is allowed by your subscription, instead of seeing the Disconnect device from subscription link in the Profile window you will see the Manage devices button that takes you to My Kaspersky. You can find more information on how to disconnect a device from a subscription here.

[Topic 189541]

What to do if I have several subscriptions for different number of devices

If you have purchased several subscriptions for different number of devices, then whenever one of them expires, another one is automatically enabled on the device. If the new subscription supports fewer devices than the previously active subscription, the Unlimited version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection can become unavailable on some of your devices.

To select devices on which you want to use the Unlimited version:

1. Open My Kaspersky in a browser.
2. Go to the Licenses section.
3. In the Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection license panel, click the button Devices.

   You will see a list of devices using the subscription.

4. Select the device for which you want to allow or deny access to the Unlimited version.
5. Do one of the following:
   • If you want to allow access to the Unlimited version, select Unlimited version in the drop-down menu.
   • If you want to deny access to the Unlimited version, select Free version in the drop-down menu.

Depending on your choice, the access to the Unlimited version on the device is allowed or denied.

[Topic 69238]

Application licensing

This section covers the main aspects of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection licensing.

[Topic 35505]

About the End User License Agreement

The End User License Agreement is a binding agreement between you and AO Kaspersky Lab, stipulating the terms on which you may use the application.

Read through the terms of the License Agreement carefully before you start using the application.

You accept the terms of the License Agreement by confirming that you agree with the License Agreement when installing the application. If you do not accept the terms of the License Agreement, you must abort application installation and must not use the application.

[Topic 127799]

About subscription and versions of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection

You can use the Free version or Unlimited version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection. To use the Unlimited version of the application, you must purchase a subscription and activate it on My Kaspersky.

You can also get a Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection subscription from a service provider partner of Kaspersky (for example, an ISP).

Subscription for Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection

A subscription to Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection establishes use of the application within the selected settings (expiration date and number of devices). You can pause or resume your subscription, renew it automatically, or cancel it.

A subscription to Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection may be limited to one year or one month and may be automatically renewed with no expiration date.

Once your subscription expires, you are offered a subscription renewal grace period during which you can continue using the application.

After your subscription expires, the application does not establish a secure connection with websites for which a specific region or city was selected. If you want to establish a secure connection with these websites, select the Free option when selecting a region and a city.

Information about the number of days remaining before the subscription expires is displayed in the Subscription window. If you have not closed the application window in over 24 hours, information in the Subscription window may be out of date. To view up-to-date information about the number of days remaining before the subscription expires, you must close the application window and open it again.

If you already have a subscription with auto-renewal and you want to purchase a new subscription for Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection, cancel auto-renewal of your Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection subscription first. This allows you to save money.

Free version of the application

When using the Free version of the application:

• You can use the application on all of your devices.
• You can use 200 MB of secure traffic per day on each device (300 MB if your device is connected to My Kaspersky, and 500 MB if the device is connected to My Kaspersky and you have an active Kaspersky Security Cloud subscription on My Kaspersky).
• You cannot select region and city. The application selects a region and a city automatically.

Unlimited version of the application

The number of devices on which you can use the Unlimited version of the application depends on the terms of your subscription.

When using the Unlimited version of the application:

• You can use an unlimited daily amount of secure traffic on each device.
• You can select a region and a city.
• You can establish a secure connection through the fastest server.

The Unlimited version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection must be connected to My Kaspersky.

[Topic 127053]

How to switch to Unlimited version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection

To switch to Unlimited version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection:

1. Open the main application window.
2. Click Upgrade to Unlimited.

   One of the following actions is performed:

   • The My Kaspersky page opens in the browser.
   • Our partner's online store window opens in the browser.
   • A third-party online store window opens in the browser.

   When switching to the Unlimited version of the application, the browser window displays one of the Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection subscription offers available to you. The offer may depend on the region in which the subscription is registered.

3. If the My Kaspersky page is opened in the browser:
   1. Enter the email address and password that you specified when creating your account on My Kaspersky. If you do not have an account, you can create an account.
   2. On the My Kaspersky page, go to the Licenses section.
   3. Click the Buy Now button.
4. If the eStore page opened in the browser:
   1. Purchase subscription to Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

      After completing your purchase, the activation code for your subscription will be sent to your email address.

   2. On My Kaspersky, go to the Licenses section.
   3. Enter the activation code and click the Add button.

The subscription for Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is displayed in the left part of the My Kaspersky window. To begin using the Unlimited version of the application, connect your device to My Kaspersky.

You can also use Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection on devices running macOS, iOS or Android.

[Topic 152462]

How to renew a subscription for Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection

To renew a subscription for Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection:

1. Open the main application window.
2. Click the Renew subscription button.

   The application will offer you one of the following options for where you can renew your subscription:

   • On the My Kaspersky page.
   • At the online store of our partner.
   • At a third-party online store.

     When renewing a subscription, the subscription provider may differ from the provider with whom you registered the subscription.

3. If the My Kaspersky page is opened in the browser:
   1. Enter the email address and password that you specified when creating your account on My Kaspersky. If you do not have an account, you can create an account.
   2. On the My Kaspersky page, go to the Licenses section.
   3. Click the Buy Now button.
4. If the eStore page opened in the browser:
   1. Purchase subscription to Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

      After completing your purchase, the activation code for your subscription will be sent to your email address.

   2. On My Kaspersky, go to the Licenses section.
   3. Enter the activation code and click the Add button.

The subscription for Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection is displayed in the left part of the My Kaspersky window. To begin using the Unlimited version of the application, connect your device to My Kaspersky.

You can also use Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection on devices running Android, iOS or macOS.

[Topic 174410]

How to cancel auto-renewal of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection subscription

To cancel your Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection subscription on the My Kaspersky website:

1. Sign in to your My Kaspersky account.
2. Go to the Licenses section.
3. Select a subscription for Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection and click the Auto-renewal is turned on link.

   This link is available only if you have previously activated a subscription with auto-renewal.

4. Please select the reason for disabling auto-renewal of subscription.
5. Confirm your action if needed.

Auto-renewal will be disabled.

To cancel your Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection subscription on the website of your service provider:

1. Go to your account page on the website of your service provider.
2. Check your active subscriptions that may include Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.
3. Cancel your subscription or turn off auto-renewal for the subscription.

[Topic 144994]

Data provision

This section contains information on the specific data that you provide to Kaspersky while using version 5.5 of the application. The Saving data to the application operation report subsection contains data that are stored locally on your computer and are not sent to Kaspersky.

Click the links below to read about data for the previous versions of the application:

Data provision for version 5.3

Data provision for version 5.2

Data provision for version 5.1

Data provision for version 5.0

Data provision for version 4.0

Data provision for version 3.0

Data provision for version 2.0

Data provision for version 1.0

[Topic 144995]

Data provision under the End User License Agreement

This section contains information on the specific data that are provided to Kaspersky if you have installed the application version which is not intended for use in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil, or by California residents.

You agree to automatically send to Kaspersky the following information:

• Information about the operating system installed on the user's computer: additional information about OS functions; operating system family, OS version, OS build number, OS update number, OS edition, extended information about the OS edition; OS ID; type of hardware platform; OS bit rate; OS type (server, desktop, domain controller).
• Information required for interaction with the Web Portal: one-time password for registering a device on the Web Portal; token type; unique ID of the device on the Web Portal; data for receiving a session authentication token; Web Portal user account ID; unique device ID; indicator that the software is connected to the Web Portal.
• Information about the license and other agreements: software operating mode; software activation code; date and time when the software usage license expires; number of days remaining until the software usage license expires; software license ID; software usage license term; type of software license used; full name of the partner organization from whom the software usage license was ordered; indicator of whether or not the user accepted the conditions of a legal agreement during use of the software; type of legal agreement whose conditions were accepted by the user during use of the software; date and time when the user agreed to the conditions of the legal agreement during use of the software; version of the legal agreement whose conditions were accepted by the user during use of the software.
• Information about connection to the VPN provider's infrastructure: service provider; device type; unique ID of product installation; one-time password for automatic connection of the software downloaded from the Web Portal account; user account name (login) on the Web Portal; authentication token in the software; country code according to ISO 3166-1 alpha-2; method of authentication in the software; protocol utilized for internal authentication.
• Information about connection of the user's computer to a wireless network: DHCP protocol settings (checksums of the local IPv6 address of the gateway, DHCP IPv6, DNS1 IPv6, DNS2 IPv6, checksum of the network prefix length; checksum of the local IPv6 address); DHCP settings (checksums of the local IP address of the gateway, DHCP IP, DNS1 IP, DNS2 IP and subnet mask); Wi-Fi network authentication type; checksum (MD5 with modifier) of the access point MAC address; checksum (SHA256 with modifier) of the access point MAC address; types of connections supported by the Wi-Fi access point; Wi-Fi network encryption type; Wi-Fi network ID calculated based on the access point MAC address; Wi-Fi network ID calculated based on its name; Wi-Fi network ID calculated based on its name and access point MAC address; Wi-Fi network signal strength; Wi-Fi network name; Wi-Fi network SSID; web address of the service used for Internet access.
• Information about the user environment: device ID; computer name on the network (domain name); one-time password for registering the device on the Web Portal; unique device ID; device type (laptop, desktop, tablet); marketing company ID.
• Information about the Rightholder's installed software: full version of third-party software; localization of third-party software; unique ID of product installation; software ID received from the license; full version of the software; software upgrade ID; software ID; software localization; software installation ID (PCID); software rebranding ID; ID of the software for which the license is intended; code of the partner organization for whom the software was rebranded; type of installed software; software group; software ID; software installation/removal status; installation error code; software rebranding code; installation type (new installation, upgrade); software upgrade start ID; ID of the user on the Rightholder's website.
• Other information: public certificate key; digital certificate fingerprint of the scanned object and hashing algorithm; processed web address.

For keeping track of the number of users, you agree to automatically provide the following information to the Google Analytics service and to an entrusted third-party service provider of the Rightholder: the name and version of the installed software of the Rightholder, the unique ID of the software installation on the computer, and information about the versions of the operating system installed on the computer and the installed update packages. Data is transmitted to the Google Analytics service over a secure connection. Access to and protection of information is regulated by the relevant terms of use of the Google Analytics service.

A third-party service provider may process the specified data in countries where the level of data security is lower than the security level of your country of residence and / or the country where the software is used. If you do not accept these terms, please do not use this software.

The information transmitted does not contain any personal data or other confidential information of the User and is needed for the operation of the Rightholder's Software, unless expressly stated otherwise.

The information received is protected by the Rightholder in the manner prescribed by the law and is required for the operation of the Software made available to use under the license.

Kaspersky may use the acquired statistical data based on the information collected to monitor trends in computer security threats and publish reports on those threats.

Page top

[Topic 175247]

Data provision under the End User License Agreement on the territory of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil, or by California residents

This section contains information on the specific data that are provided to Kaspersky if you have installed the application version which is intended for use in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil, or by California residents. The information mentioned in this section does not contain any personal data of the User and is needed for the operation of the Rightholder's Software, unless expressly stated otherwise.

You agree to provide the following data for improving the quality of real-time protection, improving the quality of operation of the software and the timely detection and rectification of errors associated with the mechanism for installation, removal and update of the software, accounting for the number of users:

• Information about the Rightholder's software: type, version, edition and localization of the installed software.
• Information about the type, version, and edition of the OS installed on the computer, and about installed update packages for the OS.
• Information about user activity when using the software and issues that arise during that activity: types and codes of errors and issues that occur when using the software, and the ID of the user interface control element.
• Website address of the software license subscription provider.
• Data on the quality of software installation/removal tasks: type of installation task, task completion status, type and code of the error during task performance, time spent on completing the task, the ID of the software version upgrade campaign; information about the geographic location of the user's computer.
• Information about scanning of secure connections: the certificate used to establish the connection and the checksum (SHA2-256) of its public key.
• Certificate of the scanned file, public certificate key of the scanned file, and the thumbprint of the certificate of the scanned file.

For keeping track of the number of users, you agree to automatically provide the following information to the Google Analytics service and to an entrusted third-party service provider of the Rightholder: the name and version of the installed software of the Rightholder, the unique ID of the software installation on the computer, and information about the versions of the operating system installed on the computer and the installed update packages. Data is transmitted to the Google Analytics service over a secure connection. Access to and protection of information is regulated by the relevant terms of use of the Google Analytics service.

A third-party service provider may process the specified data in countries where the level of data security is lower than the security level of your country of residence and / or the country where the software is used. If you do not accept these terms, please do not use this software.

The information received is protected by the Rightholder in the manner prescribed by the law and is required for the operation of the Software made available to use under the license.

Kaspersky may use the acquired statistical data based on the information collected to monitor trends in computer security threats and publish reports on those threats.

[Topic 187589]

Data provision during application activation

In order to fulfill the Rightholder's and/or its Partners' obligations towards the user to activate the purchased license, to activate the application being used, the Rightholder needs to receive and process the information described below. Such information may be considered personal according to the applicable legislation of certain countries.

When activating, the following information will be provided and processed in the Rightholder's service:

• Authorization token.
• Activation code.
• MD5 checksum of the serial number of the hard drive, motherboard and Machine SID.
• Unique ID of the user.

Data processing and protection

The Rightholder processes the data received from the End User under this Statement according to the Rightholder's Privacy Policy published at: www.kaspersky.com/Products-and-Services-Privacy-Policy.

[Topic 187588]

Data provision during connecting to My Kaspersky

In order to fulfill the Rightholder's and/or its Partners' obligations towards the user to connect the application being used to My Kaspersky, the Rightholder needs to receive and process the information described below. Such information may be considered personal according to the applicable legislation of certain countries.

When connecting to My Kaspersky, the following information will be provided and processed in the Rightholder's service:

• AppID of the application.
• Full version of the application (major.minor.revision.build).
• Current localization of the application in the format <language><alphabet><country>.
• MD5 checksum of the serial number of the hard drive, motherboard and Machine SID.
• Device name.
• Device type. Unknown | Desktop | Mobile | Tablet | iMac | MacBook.
• Version of the operating system of the device.
• Unique ID of the My Kaspersky user account.

Unique ID generated when installing the application. MD5 checksum of Windows installation ID and Machine ID.

Data processing and protection

The Rightholder processes the data received from the End User under this Statement according to the Rightholder's Privacy Policy published at: www.kaspersky.com/Products-and-Services-Privacy-Policy.

[Topic 144996]

Data provision to Kaspersky Security Network

If you participate in Kaspersky Security Network, you automatically send specific information to Kaspersky. A list of this transmitted data is provided in the Kaspersky Security Network Statement.

To review the Kaspersky Security Network Statement:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Additional from the drop-down menu.
4. Click the Kaspersky Security Network Statement link to open a window that displays the Kaspersky Security Network Statement.

[Topic 144978]

Saving data to the application operation report

The application processes and stores the following personal data:

• Data that is displayed in the application interface:
  • Email address used to connect to My Kaspersky
  • Addresses of websites for which secure connection is configured
  • Names of Wi-Fi networks for which the rules of enabling secure connection are configured

  This data is stored locally in a non-modified form and can be viewed under any user account on the computer.

• Data that is gathered when traces are enabled.

This data is stored locally in a modified form and can be viewed under any user account on the computer. This data is transmitted to Kaspersky only with your consent when contacting Technical Support. To learn more about the data, click the Regulation on data provisioning link in the Support Tools window.

[Topic 160950]

About using the application in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil, or by California residents

The versions of the application that Kaspersky and our partners distribute in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Brazil (as well as the versions intended to be used by California residents) meet the requirements of the regulations governing the collection and processing of personal data that have been established in these regions.

To install the application, you must accept the End User License Agreement and the terms of the Privacy Policy.

In addition, the Setup and Removal Wizard prompts you to accept the following provisions regarding how your personal data is processed:

• Kaspersky Security Network Statement. This statement allows Kaspersky experts to promptly receive information about threats detected on your computer, about applications being run and signed applications being downloaded, as well as operating system information to improve your protection.
• Statement regarding data processing for marketing purposes. This statement allows us to create more valuable offers for you.

You can accept or decline the Kaspersky Security Network Statement and Statement regarding data processing for marketing purposes at any time from the application settings (the Settings window).

Using the application in the European Union has the following features:

• When choosing a virtual server (for example, France), the physical server through which the connection is established may be located in another country (for example, Belgium). The server's IP address will show that the server is located in France.
• When a virtual server is selected automatically, the connection may be established outside the territory of the European Union, United Kingdom, Brazil, and the U.S. state of California.

[Topic 126997]

Working with My Kaspersky

In this section, you will learn what My Kaspersky is, how to create a My Kaspersky account, and how to connect to My Kaspersky.

[Topic 126998]

About My Kaspersky

My Kaspersky is a single online resource for managing the protection of devices and the licensing of Kaspersky applications.

On My Kaspersky, you can perform the following actions with the application:

• Purchase and activate a subscription for the application;
• View traffic usage statistics.

To work with Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection on My Kaspersky, you need to register and connect your device to My Kaspersky.

[Topic 126999]

How to create a My Kaspersky account

A My Kaspersky account is required to sign in to My Kaspersky as well as to use My Kaspersky and certain Kaspersky applications.

If you do not have an account yet, you can create it on My Kaspersky or from the applications compatible with My Kaspersky.

To create a My Kaspersky account:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Profile → Login → Sign Up.
4. The Create a My Kaspersky account window opens.
5. Enter an email address.
6. Think up and enter a password.

   The password must contain at least 8 characters, which must include one numeral, one uppercase letter, and one lowercase letter.

7. Select the I agree to provide Kaspersky with my email address to receive personalized marketing offers check box if you want to receive Kaspersky notifications in your mailbox.

   In some application versions, this check box is named I confirm that I allow AO Kaspersky Lab to use my email address, first name, and last name to contact me by email about personalized special offers, reviews, surveys, order completion reminders, relevant news and events or I confirm that I allow AO Kaspersky Lab to use my email address to contact me by email about personalized special offers, reviews, surveys, order completion reminders, relevant news and events.

8. Click the Continue button.
9. Select the region you are currently in. The application detects your region automatically. If your region was determined incorrectly, select the correct region from the list.
10. Click the Continue button.

    You will see a message informing you of successful registration of your My Kaspersky account. A message will be sent to your email address, containing a link that you must click to activate your My Kaspersky account.

11. Click OK.

    Upon connection, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection prompts you to read and accept the statement on data provision. If you accept the terms of the statement, click the Accept button.

Your device will be connected to My Kaspersky.

[Topic 127003]

How to connect a device to or disconnect a device from My Kaspersky

How to connect a device to My Kaspersky

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection can connect to My Kaspersky using the credentials that were used for connecting to My Kaspersky from another application, such as Kaspersky Plus. Upon application startup, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection shows a notification that a user account was found.

To connect to My Kaspersky using the account that was found:

Click the Connect button in the application window.

How to disconnect a device from My Kaspersky

[Topic 128316]

How to configure the application to run at computer startup

To configure an application to run at computer startup:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings.
4. Under Autorun, switch the Run the application at computer startup toggle to On.

The application will run at computer startup.

[Topic 127004]

How to enable VPN

To enable VPN:

• Open the main application window and switch the toggle to the On position.
• In the taskbar notification area, in the context menu of the application icon, select Enable VPN.

VPN will be enabled. The VPN status may be changed in the course of the application's operation.

[Topic 145691]

How to disable VPN in a browser

Before a secure connection is established, you can disable the secure connection in the window of your browser.

To disable VPN in your browser,

click the Cancel button in the browser window showing the secure connection process.

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection will not prompt you to enable a secure connection on this website for a period of 6 hours. When this time period ends, the application will prompt you to enable a secure connection on this website.

[Topic 127005]

How to view VPN status

To view VPN status:

Open the main application window.

The main window of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection may display the following information about the status of VPN:

• Failed to connect. Try to establish a secure connection again by clicking the Click to enable button.
• Your connection is secured. The application is protecting your personal data that you are transmitting to the Internet.
• Connecting. Please wait while the application establishes a secure connection.
• The free daily limit of 200 MB is up. You have exceeded your traffic limit in the Free version of the application. To continue using the application, you must either wait for a period of time displayed in the main window or switch to the Unlimited version of the application.

[Topic 127965]

About advanced options for VPN

Additional features of a secure connection are available if the Kaspersky Plus application is installed and running on your computer.

Additional features of VPN include:

• Settings for enabling VPN when visiting the following website categories:
  • Banking websites;
  • Payment systems;
  • Online stores and electronic commerce websites;
  • Social networks.
• Settings for automatically changing the region and city. If you specified different regions and cities for websites of different categories in the VPN settings, you can specify whether or not to change the region and city when moving between websites of different categories.
• VPN settings for individual websites, for example, for websites that you visit often.

[Topic 127065]

How to obtain advanced options for VPN

To obtain advanced options for VPN:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings.
4. Under Get more features, click Details.
5. In the window that opens, click the Free download button to download the installation package for Kaspersky Plus.
6. Install and activate Kaspersky Plus.

[Topic 171693]

How to change application interface language

You can change the interface language in the multi-language version only.

To change application interface language:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings.
4. In the Language drop-down list, select a language of the application interface.

To change the language, you need to restart Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

[Topic 201523]

How to install Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection on devices running Android, Mac, or iOS

To install Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection on devices running Android, macOS, or iOS:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Other devices.
4. Do one of the following:
   • Scan the QR code using the QR scanner on your mobile device.

     Your device will open the download page for the Kaspersky app in your respective online app store. After you download and install the app on your mobile device, the app will automatically connect to My Kaspersky and start protecting your device.

   • Select the type of operating system and click the corresponding icon.

     The default browser will open a window for downloading the application for the selected operating system.

You can also download the application by using the following links:

• Android;
• macOS;
• iOS.

[Topic 127047]

Managing application notifications

In this section, you will learn how to work with application notifications.

[Topic 127048]

About notifications

Application notifications are pop-up windows that inform you about events in the operation of the application.

Notifications are divided into two categories based on the importance of the event:

• Important notification. It notifies you that the application was not able to perform a certain action and that your assistance is required. The notification window contains information about an event and recommendations on what to do. For example, the notification window may inform you that a secure connection could not be established because a connection in the selected region or city is not available. If this is the case, the application prompts you to change the region or city, or wait for a connection in the current region or city to become available again. Windows of important notifications have a yellow frame.
• Informational notification. It notifies you that the application successfully performed a specific action. For example, the application established a secure connection or connected to My Kaspersky. In this case, you are not required to perform any specific actions. Windows of informational notifications have a green frame.

The display of notifications is enabled by default. You can disable the display of all notifications in the notification window or configure the display of notifications in the application settings window.

Information in a notification is relevant at the time the notification is shown.

In Windows 8 or later operating systems, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection notifications are not shown if a Fluent Design application is open in full-screen mode.

[Topic 127049]

How to configure application notifications

How to receive notifications that the application has started and VPN is enabled

How to receive notifications about VPN status when connecting to a Wi-Fi network

How to receive notifications informing you that VPN is enabled when connecting to a selected Wi-Fi network

[Topic 127051]

Using the Free version of the application

In this section, you will learn what VPN limitation is, how to remove the limitation, and how to view the amount of available and used secure traffic.

[Topic 127052]

About VPN limitations

If you are using the Free version of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection and your device is not connected to My Kaspersky, you can use up to 200 MB of secure traffic per day.

If you exceed the limit of secure traffic, the application notifies you that VPN is unavailable. It may take several minutes after the notification is displayed before VPN is actually disabled.

You can perform one of the following actions:

• Wait the time period specified in the main application window and then re-establish a secure connection;
• Connect the application to My Kaspersky and get additional 100 MB of secure traffic per day or 300 MB if you have an active Kaspersky Plus subscription on My Kaspersky;
• Remove the limitation by switching to the Unlimited version.

The amount of used traffic that is displayed in the main application window may differ from the actual amount by up to 15%.

The application displays a notification informing you that secure traffic is available to you again within an hour after the traffic counter is reset.

[Topic 127054]

How to view the amount of used and available traffic

To view the amount of used and available traffic:

Open the main application window.

The lower part of the main window of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection displays how much secure traffic was used and how much is remaining.

Information about the available and used traffic in the main application window is updated no more than once per minute.

After VPN is disabled, information about the used secure traffic is updated within 30 seconds.

[Topic 141623]

How to get additional secure traffic when using the Free version of the application

If you are using the Free version of the application and your device is not connected to My Kaspersky, you can use 200 MB of secure traffic per day. If your device is connected to My Kaspersky, you can use 300 MB of secure traffic per day.

If your device is not connected to My Kaspersky and you have exceeded the 200 MB limit, the application notifies you about this and the Get more traffic for free link becomes available in the main application window. You can connect to My Kaspersky and get additional free traffic.

To get additional secure traffic:

1. Go to the window prompting you to connect to My Kaspersky by using one of the following methods:
   • Click the Get more button in the main application window.
   • Click the Get more traffic for free link in the traffic limit notification window.
2. Connect your device to My Kaspersky.

When you connect to My Kaspersky, the application shows a notification stating that you can use 300 MB of secure traffic per day. After you connect to My Kaspersky, it may take a minute for the notification to be displayed.

[Topic 127057]

Configuring VPN

In this section, you will learn how to configure VPN.

[Topic 127062]

How to configure enabling VPN

By default, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not enable VPN when connecting to insecure Wi-Fi networks.

To configure enabling VPN:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Smart protection.
4. Click the Settings button.

   The Smart protection window opens.

5. In the On connection to insecure Wi-Fi networks section, select one of the following options:
   • Prompt to enable VPN. When you are connecting to an insecure Wi-Fi network, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection displays a notification and prompts you to enable a secure connection based on recommendations by Kaspersky experts. These rules may be automatically updated without notifying the user. This option is selected by default.
   • Enable VPN. Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection enables a secure connection when you connect to an insecure Wi-Fi network.
   • Ignore. Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not display a notification and does not enable a secure connection when you are connecting to an insecure Wi-Fi network.
6. Click the insecure link to go to the Which Wi-Fi networks to treat as insecure window.
7. Select Wi-Fi networks upon connecting to which the application should enable VPN:
   • Not password protected networks. Such networks can never be treated as secure. The application always enables VPN upon connecting to such networks. This setting cannot be changed.
   • Networks with weak data encryption. Such networks may be under-protected because of weak encryption of transmitted data. Set the toggle to On if you want the application to enable VPN when connecting to networks that have weak data encryption.
   • Networks with common names. Networks with common names may be vulnerable because it is easier for hackers to figure out the password for such a network. Set the toggle to On if you want the application to enable VPN when connecting to networks that have common names.
   • Networks with WPS protocol enabled. WPS is a simplified protocol to create wireless networks. However, such networks cannot be treated as protected. Set the toggle to On if you want the application to enable VPN when connecting to networks that have the WPS protocol enabled.
   • Public networks. There are many people connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, and such networks may become the target of hackers. Often, public networks have a password which is easy to remember and easy to guess. Set the toggle to On if you want the application to enable VPN when connecting to public networks.

VPN may be briefly disabled in the following situations:

• When network conditions are poor
• When changing the virtual server
• When connecting to another network
• When roaming between Wi-Fi networks or access points

[Topic 155630]

How to select Wi-Fi networks to treat as insecure

To select Wi-Fi networks to treat as insecure:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Smart protection.
4. Click the Settings button.

   The Smart protection window opens.

5. Clicking the link When connecting to insecure Wi-Fi networks takes you to the Which Wi-Fi networks to treat as insecure window.
6. Specify the settings that Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection will use to determine that a network is insecure:
   • Not password protected networks. In a network that is not password protected, data is transmitted on the air in a non-encrypted form, making it easy for hackers to intercept. By default, the application always prompts you to enable secure connection when connecting to a network that is not password protected. This setting cannot be changed.
   • Networks with weak data encryption. By exploiting weaknesses in the encryption algorithm, hackers can easily break the password of such a network and intercept your data. Set the toggle to On if you want the application to prompt you to enable a secure connection when connecting to networks that have weak data encryption.
   • Networks with common names. If a network name (SSID) is common, it will be easy for hackers to figure out the password for such a network, because there are compiled lists of possible password combinations, which can be quickly brute-forced. Set the toggle to On if you want the application to prompt you to enable a secure connection when connecting to networks that have common names.
   • Networks with WPS protocol enabled. The WPS protocol is frequently used to create Wi-Fi networks. However, its simplicity cannot guarantee security. Set the toggle to On if you want the application to prompt you to enable a secure connection when connecting to networks that use the WPS protocol.
   • Public networks. Public networks are frequently the target of hacking attacks, because they either are not password protected at all or have a known password (written on the wall or available in the Internet). Set the toggle to On if you want the application to prompt you to enable a secure connection when connecting to public networks.

[Topic 127063]

How to configure VPN for selected Wi-Fi networks

If you regularly connect your device to a specific Wi-Fi network, you can preconfigure VPN settings for that network.

To configure VPN for selected Wi-Fi networks:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Smart protection.
4. Click the Settings button.

   The Smart protection window opens.

5. Click the Known Wi-Fi networks button.

   This opens the Manage Wi-Fi networks window. Wi-Fi-networks to which you connected earlier are displayed in this window. If you have not connected to Wi-Fi networks, this list is empty.

6. Select the Wi-Fi network for which you want to configure VPN settings.
7. Click the Change button.

   This opens the Settings for <name of Wi-Fi network> window.

8. In the Action on connection to the Wi-Fi network <name of Wi-Fi network> section, select an action for this network:
   • Not specified. When you connect a device to a Wi-Fi network, the application uses the general rules for Wi-Fi networks.
   • Enable VPN. When you connect a device to a Wi-Fi network, the application establishes a secure connection.
   • Ignore. When you connect a device to a Wi-Fi network, the application does not establish a secure connection.
9. Click the Save button.

[Topic 127064]

Configuring VPN for website categories

By default, Kaspersky VPN does not establish a secure connection when you open websites in a browser. You can configure activation of VPN for different website categories if Kaspersky Plus is installed and activated on your computer. For example, you can specify that VPN must be enabled when you visit websites of payment systems or social networks.

To configure VPN for website categories:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Websites.
4. Click the Settings button.

   The Rules for connection to websites window opens.

5. Select website category:
   • Banking websites. This category includes websites of banks.
   • Payment systems. This category includes websites of payment systems.
   • Internet shops with online payment. This category includes websites of online retailers with built-in payment systems.
   • Social networks. This category includes websites of social networks.
6. Select an action triggered by visiting this website category:
   • Enable VPN. The application will activate VPN when visiting websites of this category.
   • Ask. When visiting any website in this category, the application will ask you whether a secure connection should be established for this website. In the browser window, choose the appropriate action and select the Remember my choice for this website check box. The application will perform the chosen action every time you visit this website. If the check box is not selected, the application remembers your choice for one hour.
   • Ignore. The application will not establish a secure connection when visiting websites of this category.
7. If the Enable VPN option is selected, in the Choose VPN server drop-down list, specify the region and city through which you want to establish a secure connection for this website category.
8. Select the Notify when enabled check box if you want to receive notifications about a secure connection being enabled when you visit this category of websites.

By default, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not prompt you to enable VPN if the HTTPS protocol is used to connect to a website.

Page top

[Topic 128180]

How to configure VPN for a selected website

You can configure a secure connection for a selected website if Kaspersky Plus is installed and activated on your computer.

To configure VPN for a selected website:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Websites.
4. Click the Settings button.

   The Rules for connection to websites window opens.

5. In the Exclusions for websites section, click the Settings button.

   The Exclusions for websites window opens.

6. Click the Add button to add a website to the list of exclusions from the settings that are specified for website categories.

   The Add website window opens.

7. Enter the website address in the Web address (URL) field.
8. In the Action to take when the website is accessed section, specify which action the application must take when you visit this website:
   • Enable VPN. Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection enables VPN when you visit the specified website. For example, you can configure the application to enable VPN when you visit the website of your bank. This setting is applied even if the Ignore option is selected in the When browsing unsecured websites of banks section in the Rules for connection to websites window.
     1. In the Choose VPN server drop-down list, select the region and city through which you want to establish a secure connection when visiting this website. If the region selected for VPN for the website differs from the region or the city selected for the website category to which the website belongs, connection to the website will be established through the region or the city that is specified for this website and not for the website category.
     2. Select the Notify when enabled check box if you want to receive notifications about VPN being enabled when you visit this website.
   • Ignore. Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not enable VPN when you visit the specified website.
9. Click the Add button.

Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not enable VPN if the HTTPS protocol is used to connect to a website.

Page top

[Topic 127066]

Selecting a region and city

In this section, you will learn about virtual servers, how to change the region or city through which a secure connection is established and how to configure the application to automatically change the region or city.

[Topic 127067]

About the virtual server

The VPN server is your virtual location in the region and city that you can select when enabling a secure connection. For example, you can select a specific region and city for visiting websites of banks or social networks, or configure a secure connection for specific websites. The secure connection settings created for specific websites take priority over the settings specified for website categories.

If you are using the Free version of the application, you can only use a free server. When using a free server, the application selects the region and city for you automatically even if you had indicated a specific region and city for the selected website.

The following virtual servers are currently available in Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

[Topic 127069]

How to change the region or city

To change the region or city:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the VPN server drop-down list, select a region and a city. If you want the application to select the fastest server, select Fastest (available only in the Unlimited version).

In the Free version of the application, you cannot select a region or city. Only automatic selection of the region and city is available (Free server).

[Topic 127070]

How to configure automatic changing of region or city

You can configure what the application does when you change the region or city if Kaspersky Plus is installed and activated on your computer.

To configure the application to take an action when you change the region or city:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Websites.
4. Click the Settings button.

   The Rules for connection to websites window opens.

5. Select the region through which you want to enable VPN for websites of a specific category.
6. Select the region through which you want to enable VPN for specific websites.
7. In the If the current VPN server differs from the specified server drop-down list, specify what the application must do if you switch between websites or website categories for which different connection regions or cities are configured:
   • Do not change VPN server. If you switch between websites or website categories for which different regions or cities are configured, the application does not change the region or city.
   • Ask. The application displays a notification in which you can choose if you want to change the region or city.
   • Change VPN server. The application changes the region or city in accordance with the region or city that is specified for the website or website category. For example, you specified that a secure connection must be enabled through one region or city for websites in the “Banking websites” category, but you specified a different region or city for websites in the "Social networks" category. If you have a secure connection enabled and you switch from a website in the "Banking websites" category to a website in the "Social networks" category, your region or city changes to the one specified for the "Social networks" category.

[Topic 127056]

How to view a secure traffic report on My Kaspersky

To view a secure traffic report, the application must be connected to My Kaspersky. If you enabled VPN and then connected a device to My Kaspersky, no information is displayed about the secure traffic for the current connection.

How to configure the display of secure traffic data on My Kaspersky

How to view a secure traffic report

[Topic 160120]

Why it is not possible to open a website via Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection

Some websites deny access when you try to connect to them through a secure connection.

Website access through a secure connection can be denied for the following reasons:

• Website owners want the licensed content they publish to only be available from a certain region, since there are different offers and prices for different regions.
• Website owners want the website to only be visited from a certain region. For example, a lottery is drawn only for a certain region, so access from other regions is forbidden.

[Topic 189144]

Why the data transfer speed is reduced when a secure connection is enabled

When a secure connection is enabled, the data transfer speed depends on the load experienced by servers used for the Internet connection. During peak loading hours, the speed may be insignificantly reduced. We do everything we can to ensure that users of the Unlimited version of the application can always enjoy the maximum data transfer rate.

[Topic 127071]

Participating in Kaspersky Security Network

This section discusses Kaspersky Security Network and how to enable participation in Kaspersky Security Network.

[Topic 127072]

About Kaspersky Security Network

Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) is the cloud-based knowledge base of Kaspersky containing information about categories of Wi-Fi networks. When a Kaspersky application detects an insecure Wi-Fi network, users participating in Kaspersky Security Network automatically send this data to Kaspersky. Kaspersky experts analyze the received data and use it for more precise categorization of Wi-Fi networks. This helps make Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection more effective.

[Topic 127074]

Enabling and disabling participation in Kaspersky Security Network

To enable or disable participation in Kaspersky Security Network:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Additional.
4. To read the terms of participation in Kaspersky Security Network, click the Kaspersky Security Network Statement link.
5. Do one of the following:
   • If you want to participate in Kaspersky Security Network, switch the I want to improve protection and agree to participate in Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) toggle to On.
   • If you do not want to participate in Kaspersky Security Network, switch the I want to improve protection and agree to participate in Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) toggle to Off.

In some application versions, the Settings window shows the I agree to provide data to improve protection setting instead of the Kaspersky Security Network Statement.

To provide data to improve protection:

1. Switch the I agree to provide data to improve protection toggle to On.

   The Kaspersky Security Network Statement window opens.

2. Read the statement and click the Accept button.

To cancel providing data to improve protection,

Switch the I agree to provide data to improve protection toggle to Off.

[Topic 136788]

Security news

This section provides information on security news from Kaspersky.

[Topic 137575]

About security news

Every day, the world is seeing more and more mass theft of passwords, hacking of databases, and online banking fraud. Kaspersky security news provides fresh information about such crimes and helps you prevent situations in which you could become a victim of hackers. To make sure that the security news you receive is specifically relevant for you, Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection analyzes information about the resources you visit and the apps that you run. This information is used only for the purpose of selecting news that may be important or interesting to you.

Security news is displayed in the Notification Center together with other news from Kaspersky. Security news notifications appear in the taskbar notification area. Notification windows contain the news header and a brief recommendation on resolving the problem described in the news.

Depending on the severity level, news can be of the following types:

• Important news – news about events that pose a potential threat to your security (for example, news about mass theft of Facebook passwords). Windows containing important news are yellow.
• General news – news that is for information purposes (for example, news about more and more frequent cases of data breaches in online banking caused by Trojan malware). Windows containing general news are green.

If a notification about security news appears on the screen, you can proceed to the full text of the news by clicking the Details button in the pop-up window, or you can close the pop-up window. You can view the full text of news at any time by selecting the relevant news in the Notification Center news list.

If you do not want to receive security news on a specific device, you can disable the display of news in Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection. If you do not want to receive news on any of your devices, you can disable the receipt of news on My Kaspersky.

Security news is not displayed during the first hour of operation of Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection after it is installed.

[Topic 137577]

How to enable or disable security news

To enable or disable security news:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Settings → Notifications.
4. Do one of the following:
   • If you want to receive security news, select the Receive special offers, recommendations and news from Kaspersky check box.
   • If you do not want to receive security news, clear the Receive special offers, recommendations and news from Kaspersky check box.

[Topic 137579]

How to enable or disable the receipt of security news on My Kaspersky

To enable or disable the receipt of security news on My Kaspersky:

1. Open the main page of My Kaspersky.
2. Click the Sign in button and enter your email address that you specified when creating the account and your password.
3. Click the button .

   This opens the window for viewing notifications.

4. In the upper part of the notification window, click the button.

   This opens the notification settings window.

5. Do one of the following:
   • If you want to enable the receipt of security news, select the Security news check box.
   • If you want to disable the receipt of security news, clear the Security news check box.

[Topic 127075]

Contacting Technical Support

This section describes the ways to get technical support and the terms on which it is available.

[Topic 128317]

How to get technical support

If you do not find a solution to your problem in the application documentation or in one of the other sources of information about the application, we recommend that you contact the Technical Support. Visit the Technical Support website to contact our experts who will answer your questions about installing and using the application.

Before contacting Technical Support, please read the support rules.

Technical support is available only to users who have purchased a license for use of the application. Technical support is not available to users of free versions.

[Topic 84091]

Collecting information for Technical Support

After you notify Technical Support specialists of a problem, they may ask you to create a report that contains information about your operating system and send it to Technical Support. Technical Support specialists may also ask you to create a trace file. The trace file allows tracing the process of performing application commands step by step and determining the stage of application operation at which an error occurs.

To provide better support on issues related to functioning of the application, Technical Support specialists may ask you to temporarily change application settings for debugging purposes while diagnostics are ongoing. To do so, you may need to perform the following actions:

• Collect extended diagnostic information
• Fine-tune application settings that are not accessible through the standard user interface.
• Reconfigure storage and sending of collected diagnostic information.
• Set up interception of network traffic and saving of network traffic to a file.

Technical Support specialists will give you all information necessary for performing these actions (step-by-step instructions, settings to be changed, scripts, additional command line features, debugging modules, special utilities, etc.) and will inform you of what data will be collected for debugging purposes. After the extended diagnostic information is collected, it is saved on the user's computer. The collected data is not sent automatically to Kaspersky.

You are advised to perform the preceding actions only under the guidance of a Technical Support specialist after receiving instructions to do so. Changing application settings by yourself in ways not described in Help or not recommended by Technical Support specialists can cause slowdowns and crashes of the operating system, reduce the protection level of your computer, and damage the availability and integrity of the processed information.

[Topic 128322]

Creating a system state report

To create an operating system state report:

1. Open the main application window.
2. In the main application window, click the button.
3. Select Support → Support Tools → Open from the drop-down menu.
4. Click the How to create an operating system state report link.

   Your browser opens a Knowledge Base article on how to create an operating system state report.

5. Follow the instructions in the Knowledge Base article.

[Topic 128323]

Sending data files

Once created, the trace files and the system state report should be sent to Kaspersky Technical Support specialists.

You will need an active request number to upload files to the Technical Support server. You can find this number on My Kaspersky.

How to upload data files to the Technical Support server

If you were unable to send the files for any reason, the data files can be stored on your computer and later sent from My Kaspersky.

How to save data files to disk

The created archive can be sent to Technical Support from My Kaspersky.

[Topic 128324]

Contents and storage of trace files

Trace files are stored on the computer openly for seven days after the writing of trace files is disabled. Trace files are deleted permanently after seven days.

Trace files are stored in the ProgramData\Kaspersky Lab folder.

The format of trace file names is as follows: KSDE<version number_dateXX.XX_timeXX.XX_pidXXX.><trace file type>.log.

Trace files can contain confidential data. You can view the contents of a trace file by opening it in a text editor (such as Notepad).

[Topic 83989]

Using the application from the command prompt

You can use Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection at the command prompt.

Command prompt syntax:

avp.com <command> [settings]

To view help on the command prompt syntax, enter the following command:

avp.com [ /? | HELP ]

This command allows you to obtain a full list of commands that are available for managing Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection through the command prompt.

To obtain help on the syntax of a specific command, you can enter one of the following commands:

avp.com <command> /?

avp.com HELP <command>

At the command prompt, you can refer to the application either from the application installation folder or by specifying the full path to avp.com.

Certain commands can be executed only under the administrator account.

[Topic 131811]

Application usage restriction

It is prohibited to use Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection for the following purposes:

• For any purpose that violates any applicable local, national or international legislation or regulation of the country in which the VPN server is located or in which the application is used.
• For the purpose of inflicting harm or attempting to inflict harm on minors by using any means.
• For the purpose of improperly using the application and intentionally deploying malicious computer software or any other similar code fragments that are malicious and/or inflict technological damage.
• For the purpose of reverse engineering, decompiling, disassembly, modification, interpretation, or any attempts to reveal the source code of the application or to create derivative operations.
• For the purpose of obtaining unauthorized access, interfering with or inflicting damage on the application. Any such violation will be reported to the appropriate authorized executive agencies, and we will assist such agencies in revealing your identity. If such a violation occurs, your rights to use the application will be immediately terminated.
• For the purpose of uploading, publishing, emailing or otherwise transferring any content aimed at provoking behavior that is unlawful, dangerous, threatening, violent, intended for harassment, dishonest, demeaning, immoral, indecent, defamatory, encroaching on the sanctity of privacy, malicious or racist, instigating ethnic or other conflicts, or any content that is likely to provoke such behavior.
• For the purpose of pretending to be any other person or legal entity or to otherwise distort your personal identity or association with a legal entity in cases where such identification is required or is stipulated by applicable legislation.
• For the purpose of falsifying or manipulating means of identification in order to conceal the original source of any content transmitted over VPN systems.
• For the purpose of uploading, publishing, emailing or otherwise transferring any content that infringes on any party’s rights to any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other intellectual property.
• For the purpose of uploading, publishing, emailing or otherwise transferring any unwanted or unauthorized announcements or advertising materials, such as “junk mail”, “spam”, “chain letters”, or “pyramid schemes”.
• For the purpose of interfering with or incapacitating VPN systems and/or VPN servers and/or VPN networks, or violating any of the requirements, procedures, policies, or rules of networks connected to VPN systems.
• For the purpose of collecting and storing personal data of other users without their knowledge.
• For the purpose of distributing information that incites unlawful activity, or that promotes the infliction of physical damage or injury to any group of people or individuals, or that promotes any act of violence against animals.

Kaspersky is not a provider of VPN (Virtual Private Network) services. If access to specific websites or services is limited in the VPN service provider's region, you will not be able to access these websites and services through Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

[Topic 143651]

Known issues

The following known issues may arise during operation of the application:

• When the VPN server is changed, the secure connection may be briefly interrupted. Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not protect data that is transmitted during this interruption in the secure connection.
• When the network connection is changed on a device, VPN be briefly interrupted. Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not protect data that is transmitted during this interruption in the secure connection.
• When switching from the Free version of the application to the Unlimited version, the secure connection session is interrupted. Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection does not protect data that is transmitted during this interruption in the secure connection.
• If you stop the application while connecting to My Kaspersky, the next time you run the application, the Free version may start instead of the Unlimited version. You may also need to connect your device to My Kaspersky. again. If your device is connected to My Kaspersky, but instead of the Unlimited version of the application you get the Free version, please log in to My Kaspersky and in the Devices section, click Confirm for the current device.

[Topic 90]

Glossary

Fraud monitoring system

System intended for analyzing online financial transactions for signs of fraudulent operations.

Kaspersky Security Network (KSN)

The cloud-based knowledge base of Kaspersky containing information about categories of Wi-Fi networks. When a Kaspersky application detects an insecure Wi-Fi network, users participating in Kaspersky Security Network automatically send this data to Kaspersky. Kaspersky experts analyze the received data and use it for more precise categorization of Wi-Fi networks. This helps make Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection more effective.

Subscription

Enables use of the application within the selected settings (expiration date and number of devices). You can pause or resume your subscription, renew it automatically, or cancel it.

Virtual server

Your virtual location that you can select when enabling a secure connection.

VPN connection

An encrypted connection that is established by Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection via a specially allocated server located in the region you specify.

[Topic 37531]

Information about third-party code

Information about third-party code is contained in the file legal_notices.txt, in the application installation folder.

[Topic 72033]

Trademark notices

Registered trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Google Analytics, Google Chrome, Chromium, and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc.

Intel, Celeron, and Atom are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

Mozilla, Firefox are trademarks of the Mozilla Foundation.

IOS is a registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries.

iMac, MacBook, and macOS are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the United States and other countries.