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Kaspersky licensing

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This article is an overview of how AO Kaspersky Lab licenses its business security software (Kaspersky Next, Kaspersky Endpoint Security, Kaspersky Security Center, Kaspersky Hybrid Cloud Security and Kaspersky Small Office Security). It is not legal advice and does not replace the License Certificate or the End User License Agreement.

On This Page

Kaspersky licensing is the set of terms under which AO Kaspersky Lab, a company incorporated under the laws of the Russian Federation, licenses its endpoint protection, detection and response, virtualization security and small-business security software to organizations.[5] Every Kaspersky business product follows the same pattern. A licence is a time-limited right to use the application granted under an End User License Agreement (EULA).[2][6] The EULA describes the License Certificate as a document accompanied by a key file and activation code.[5] The certificate states the limit on licensing units, the licence start date and the expiry date or term.[17] The unit differs by product line. The current Kaspersky Next platform is licensed per user.[1] Kaspersky Endpoint Security and the older Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business bundles are licensed per Computer.[5] Kaspersky Hybrid Cloud Security can be licensed per protected virtual machine, per hypervisor processor core or per hypervisor processor.[9] For the general models, see named user licensing and concurrent and device licensing.

Editions

Kaspersky sells its current business portfolio as Kaspersky Next. Its product page lists six tiers: Next EDR Foundations, Next EDR Optimum, Next XDR Optimum, Next MXDR Optimum, Next EDR Expert and Next XDR Expert.[4] Only EDR Foundations and EDR Optimum can be bought online; the other tiers are sold through a contact process.[4] The cloud console help describes three editions available in the console itself: EDR Foundations, EDR Optimum and XDR Expert.[3]

Product line Editions named in Kaspersky documents Licensing unit 
Kaspersky Next (cloud console) EDR Foundations, EDR Optimum, XDR Expert[3] Per user[1] 
Kaspersky Next (sold via contact) XDR Optimum, MXDR Optimum, EDR Expert, XDR Expert[4] Per user for XDR Expert[13] 
Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business (on-premises) Select, Advanced, Total Security, EDR Optimum, Optimum Security, EDR Expert, Hybrid Cloud Security Standard and Enterprise licences[18] Per Computer on the License Certificate[5] 
Kaspersky Hybrid Cloud Security Standard, Enterprise, EDR Optimum Add-on[9] Per virtual machine, per core or per processor[9] 
Kaspersky Small Office Security Single product in licence packs[15] A 5-licence pack covers 5 PCs or Macs, 5 mobile devices and 1 file server[15] 

The functions a commercial Kaspersky Endpoint Security licence unlocks depend on the product named in the License Certificate.[6] The catalog records the tiers as SKU rows, for example Kaspersky Next EDR Optimum, Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business Advanced and Kaspersky Hybrid Cloud Security Standard. Kaspersky publishes no part numbers or list prices on the cited pages. Product-level detail is in Kaspersky Next licensing and Kaspersky license keys, activation and Hybrid Cloud Security.

Metrics

Kaspersky term Catalog row Where it applies 
User User Kaspersky Next. Each user covers one desktop, laptop or file server and up to two mobile devices.[1] 
Computer Computer Kaspersky Endpoint Security EULA. Hardware plus operating system, including system virtual machines.[5] 
Virtual machine Virtual machine Hybrid Cloud Security, with VM, server or desktop keys.[9] 
Processor core Physical processor core Hybrid Cloud Security, counted on the hypervisors.[9] 
Processor Physical processor Hybrid Cloud Security, counted on the hypervisors.[9] 

Counting / floors

Users are derived from devices. In Kaspersky Next the user count is not a list of people. It is the larger of the number of protected desktops, laptops and file servers, or half the number of protected Android, iOS and iPadOS devices.[1] A licensing user is not the same as a user added to the Management Console, and devices without an assigned owner are still protected.[1] Catalog: Licensed users are the larger of computers or half of mobile devices; A licensing user is not a console user account.

Computers are counted against the certificate. The Kaspersky Endpoint Security EULA allows the Software to protect the number of Computers specified on the License Certificate.[5] A “Desktop” licence may be used only on devices running a workstation operating system.[5] Catalog: Use is limited to the number of Computers on the License Certificate; Desktop licences only on workstation operating systems.

Overage. Kaspersky Security Center raises an Info, Warning or Critical event as usage passes 90%, 100% and 110% of the units covered by a licence (see Kaspersky license keys, activation and Hybrid Cloud Security). Kaspersky Next XDR Expert lets a customer exceed its licence limit by no more than 5%; beyond that, extra devices and accounts become restricted assets.[13] Catalog: Kaspersky Next XDR Expert tolerates 5% overage.

Floors. None of the cited Kaspersky documents sets a minimum purchase quantity for business licences.

Virtualization & partitioning

Kaspersky has no partitioning rules of the kind found in processor-licensed server software. Two rules matter for virtual estates. First, the EULA definition of Computer includes operating systems running in system virtual machines, so each protected VM counts against a per-Computer licence.[5] Catalog: Virtual machines are Computers. Second, Kaspersky Hybrid Cloud Security offers host-based licensing: by the number of physical processor cores, or the number of processors, on the hypervisors where protected VMs run.[9] A licence limited to workstations may protect only VMs with a desktop operating system or in the workstation role, including VDI.[9] See virtualization and partitioning.

Cloud / BYOL

Kaspersky Next is managed from a Kaspersky-hosted console; Kaspersky creates and configures the infrastructure behind each workspace.[19] The on-premises management server, Kaspersky Security Center, can also run in AWS or Azure, either from a paid marketplace image or under a bring-your-own-licence (BYOL) model that uses a Hybrid Cloud Security or Security for Virtualization licence. The paid image is capped at 200 devices per Administration Server and BYOL at 100,000. Catalog: Paid cloud images cap at 200 devices; BYOL at 100,000. Details are in Kaspersky license keys, activation and Hybrid Cloud Security.

Programs

  • Trial license. A free licence for trying out the application, usable for only one trial period.[2]
  • Commercial licence and subscription. A commercial licence can be bought from Kaspersky’s website or a partner; a subscription can be bought only from a partner, can renew automatically and may have a grace period set by the partner.[2] Catalog: Subscription grace periods are set by the partner.
  • MSP subscription plans. MSP Partners and resellers can buy subscriptions monthly or annually, managed in the License Management Portal (LMP), under pay-as-you-go, annual or legacy monthly billing.[10] See Kaspersky MSP subscription licensing.
  • Kaspersky Security Center basic functionality. Kaspersky Security Center works without a licence in basic mode, and needs a commercial licence for functions beyond the basic Administration Console.[8]

Contract terms

Kaspersky publishes its business EULAs and cloud product agreements on a single index page.[14] The cloud agreement published on Kaspersky Business Hub, the Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud Agreement, grants a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence solely for the customer’s internal business purposes.[5] The on-premises Kaspersky Endpoint Security EULA prohibits transferring the right to use the Software and sharing activation codes or key files with third parties.[5] It is governed by Russian law.[5] See Kaspersky EULA and cloud agreement.

Expiry. When a commercial Kaspersky Endpoint Security licence expires, key features are disabled; a customer that does not plan to renew must remove the application.[6] When a Kaspersky Next licence expires, all features are disabled.[2] Kaspersky deletes workspace data three months after a commercial licence or subscription expires.[16] Catalog: Remove the application if a commercial licence is not renewed; Workspace data is deleted three months after a paid licence expires.

Support. Commercial business software is supported only while the licence is valid and is not a trial.[11] Catalog: Business software is supported only under a valid, non-trial licence.

Audits and compliance

Kaspersky relies mostly on technical enforcement rather than a contractual audit. The EULA reserves the right to use any means and verification procedures to check the validity of the licence and the legality of installed copies.[5] A key can be blocked for a breach. Kaspersky Endpoint Security then keeps full functionality for eight days before falling back to its post-expiry mode.[7] For MSP subscription accounts, Kaspersky may audit without notice to investigate suspected billing abuse.[10] Catalog: Kaspersky may verify licence validity technically; A blocked key leaves eight days of full function; Kaspersky may audit MSP subscription accounts without notice. For the general discipline, see license compliance.

United States

In June 2024 the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued a Final Determination prohibiting Kaspersky Lab, Inc. and its affiliates from providing anti-virus software and cybersecurity products or services in the United States or to U.S. persons.[12] Kaspersky could continue providing signature and codebase updates until 2024-09-29. The Bureau said that customers who keep using existing products face no legal penalties but assume the security risks.[12] For a licence manager this means a U.S. Kaspersky entitlement cannot be renewed or updated, even if its term has not ended.

Out of scope

  • Consumer products (Kaspersky Standard, Plus and Premium) and their EULA.
  • Prices. The cited pages publish no list prices or part numbers; the online store and partners quote them.
  • Kaspersky services licensed under separate service terms (Managed Detection and Response service descriptions, threat intelligence feeds, Professional Services, Premium Support).
  • Industrial cybersecurity (KasperskyOS, Kaspersky Industrial CyberSecurity) and embedded systems products.
  • Signed enterprise agreements and partner contracts, which can override the EULA and were not available.

References

  1. About per-user licensing (Kaspersky Next Help)Article ID 180753. Catalog: About per-user licensing (Kaspersky Next)Effective 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  2. About the license (Kaspersky Next Help)Article ID 123618. Catalog: About the license (Kaspersky Next)Effective 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. Comparison of Kaspersky Next editionsArticle ID 101540. Catalog: Comparison of Kaspersky Next editionsEffective 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. Kaspersky Next: Next-Generation Cybersecurity SolutionsProduct page; undated. Catalog: Kaspersky Next product pageRetrieved 2026-10-01.
  5. Agreements, End User License Agreements, and Kaspersky Security Network Statements available on Kaspersky Business HubKaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud Agreement and Kaspersky Endpoint Security EULA; collection undated. Catalog: Kaspersky Business Hub legal documentsRetrieved 2026-10-01.
  6. About the license (Kaspersky Endpoint Security 14.1 for Windows Help)Article ID 123473. Catalog: About the license (Kaspersky Endpoint Security 14.1 for Windows)Effective 2026-08-06. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  7. About license key (Kaspersky Endpoint Security 14.1 for Windows Help)Article ID 124700. Catalog: About license key (Kaspersky Endpoint Security 14.1 for Windows)Effective 2026-08-06. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  8. Kaspersky Security Center licensing options (Kaspersky Security Center 15.1 Help)Article ID 65277. Catalog: Kaspersky Security Center licensing optionsEffective 2026-08-16. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  9. About the license (Kaspersky Security for Virtualization 6.1 Light Agent Help)Article ID 254068. Catalog: About the license (Kaspersky Security for Virtualization 6.1 Light Agent)Effective 2025-11-10. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  10. Subscription service for business solutionsUndated knowledge-base page. Catalog: Subscription service for business solutionsRetrieved 2026-10-01.
  11. Kaspersky Technical Support terms and conditionsUpdated September 23, 2026. Catalog: Kaspersky Technical Support terms and conditionsEffective 2026-09-23. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  12. Commerce Department Prohibits Russian Kaspersky Software for U.S. CustomersU.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security press release (government publication, not a Kaspersky document)Effective 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  13. License limits (Kaspersky Next XDR Expert 2.0 Help)Article ID 269808. Catalog: License limits (Kaspersky Next XDR Expert 2.0)Effective 2026-06-08. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  14. End User License Agreement (EULA) for BusinessesIndex page linking to business EULAs and cloud product agreementsRetrieved 2026-10-01.
  15. Kaspersky Small Office Security (Kaspersky UK product page)Product page and FAQ; undated. Catalog: Kaspersky Small Office Security product page (UK)Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  16. About data provision (Kaspersky Next Help)Article ID 127176. Catalog: About data provision (Kaspersky Next)Effective 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  17. About the license certificate (Kaspersky Security Center 15.1 Help)Article ID 73976Effective 2026-08-16. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  18. Comparison of application functionality depending on license type for workstations (Kaspersky Endpoint Security 14.1 for Windows Help)Article ID 176377. Catalog: Comparison of application functionality depending on license type for workstations (KES 14.1)Effective 2026-08-06. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  19. License expiration (Kaspersky Next Help)Article ID 139299. Catalog: License expiration (Kaspersky Next)Effective 2026-05-20. Retrieved 2026-10-01.

See also

Catalog Rows Cited

3SKUs5Metrics14Rules5Programs

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