Protects against viruses, spyware and other forms of malicious software.
Able to detect Root-kits deep within the computers operating system and stops them in their tracks.
Uses information gathered from their user community called Avast Community IQ. Users send back samples of malicious software which is analyzed for up-to-date protection.
Code emulator helps check suspicious code in an isolated environment to protect your computer from damage.
Boot-time scanner can scan your computer before viruses are activated. Only 32 bit operating is supported.
Wake-up for scan allows Microsoft Windows to be taken out of sleep mode, perform a scan and then sent back into sleep mode.
Scheduled scanning allows what files are to be scanned and when.
Avast Intelligent Scanner uses a white list to determine which files should be scanned and then only scan those "white listed" files if they have changed.
Behavior Shield monitors your computer and blocks any suspicious behavior and informs the user.
File System Shield scans opened and executable files in real time.
Mail Shield scans all incoming and outgoing e-mails for malware.
Web Shield scans web pages for malware and doesn't slow down you computer. P2P Shield checks your downloaded files.
IM Shield checks downloaded files while using instant messaging or chat.
Network Shield blocks viruses on your network by blocking URL's and using an intrusion detection system.
Smart virus definition updates are done in small portions reducing the overall load on the computer.
New Silent/Gaming Mode disables pop-ups when you're playing online games.
Automatic processing mean infected files are processed without requiring user involvement.
Not included in Avast free:
Silent Firewall Antispam Avast Sandbox - allows opening suspicious programs in a secure area.
Script Shield - detects scripts running on web pages.
Command-line scanner - run scans from command line.
Antivirus Software - What Separates the Good From the Bad
An antivirus software program detects, removes, and prevents the entry of computer viruses, trojan horses, and other malware. There are various types and brands of antivirus programs and all these use different strategies for the function. The malware detection pattern and removal methods differ from program to program. So it is always important to install the program suiting your operating system and browsing habits. Some antivirus programs have a drawback in a way that they lower the system performance. When buying an antivirus product, look for the price, the performance, and its ranking. It is good if you do a little bit of research before opting for one.
The most common methods used by antivirus programs to identify viruses and other malware are the Signature based detection, Heuristic-based detection, and File emulation. Signature based detection is the most popular amongst the three. In this method, the software program compares file contents to an in-built virus signature dictionary. However, the drawback is that due to the addition of new viruses every day, the dictionary needs to be updated very often. Heuristic-based detection and file emulation are similar in many aspects. There are more methods used by different programs. The different methods help identify the unwanted programs and malware by certain aspects in the codes and characteristics. For the antivirus programs to function there are certain minimum system requirements. Ensure that your system meets these requirements before you install a product.
Some of the very popular antivirus programs are AVG, Kaspersky, McAfee, ESET and Norton. Different websites rank and provide details on the new antivirus programs and the latest versions of the existing programs also. Some of the antivirus programs which are ranked as the best antivirus 2010 software programs are BitDefender, Kaspersky, Nod32, and McAfee. Few of the other recommended antivirus 2010 software programs are AVG, The Shield Deluxe, Trend Micro, F-Secure, and Panda Antivirus Pro 2010. These ratings and rankings are based on various antivirus test results conducted by the latest programs in the market. There are some websites which gives detailed information on the test results and the ratings given for each criterion used in the test. This can help you understand the program best suiting your requirements.
There are various professional companies and organizations who are only into the lab testing of antivirus programs and they work primarily for IT companies by testing the programs provided to them. So before an organization decides to implement particular antivirus software widely in the organization, they contact the lab and ask them to perform a test on the program. The lab will perform professional test cases with malware and adware programs on the antivirus and give the result to the organization.
Source: http://goo.gl/Lgv6y
The most common methods used by antivirus programs to identify viruses and other malware are the Signature based detection, Heuristic-based detection, and File emulation. Signature based detection is the most popular amongst the three. In this method, the software program compares file contents to an in-built virus signature dictionary. However, the drawback is that due to the addition of new viruses every day, the dictionary needs to be updated very often. Heuristic-based detection and file emulation are similar in many aspects. There are more methods used by different programs. The different methods help identify the unwanted programs and malware by certain aspects in the codes and characteristics. For the antivirus programs to function there are certain minimum system requirements. Ensure that your system meets these requirements before you install a product.
Some of the very popular antivirus programs are AVG, Kaspersky, McAfee, ESET and Norton. Different websites rank and provide details on the new antivirus programs and the latest versions of the existing programs also. Some of the antivirus programs which are ranked as the best antivirus 2010 software programs are BitDefender, Kaspersky, Nod32, and McAfee. Few of the other recommended antivirus 2010 software programs are AVG, The Shield Deluxe, Trend Micro, F-Secure, and Panda Antivirus Pro 2010. These ratings and rankings are based on various antivirus test results conducted by the latest programs in the market. There are some websites which gives detailed information on the test results and the ratings given for each criterion used in the test. This can help you understand the program best suiting your requirements.
There are various professional companies and organizations who are only into the lab testing of antivirus programs and they work primarily for IT companies by testing the programs provided to them. So before an organization decides to implement particular antivirus software widely in the organization, they contact the lab and ask them to perform a test on the program. The lab will perform professional test cases with malware and adware programs on the antivirus and give the result to the organization.
Source: http://goo.gl/Lgv6y
Choosing the Best Antivirus Software
Have you ever wondered where all those computer viruses come from? As mysterious as it seems, computer viruses can cause a great deal of damage to the computer user when infected. Therefore, one has to choose the best antivirus software to protect one's computer from being infected. This is because once infected, the user will lose personal data to others and this could be the cause of identity theft.
So how does one choose the best antivirus software? Basically, you must first find out how frequently is virus definitions updated. Virus definitions are defined (pardon the pun) as the basis of the antivirus solution in determining whether one's computer has been infected or not. So the more updated is the antivirus tool, the higher the chance of preventing your computer from being infected. So consider this the most important aspect in choosing an antivirus program that could be updated frequently and quickly.
A computer can be infected when the user browses the internet and opens websites or emails. So the antivirus software has to be configured in such a way that it can automatically update its virus definition whenever the user goes online. If the software is really good, the software should be able to scan incoming and outgoing emails for viruses automatically. This is because most viruses are spread through emails without the acknowledgment of either the sender or the recipient.
However the best way to assume that the antivirus software is the best is to check whether the software could perform automatic scanning of the whole system. This is because often a computer can be infected with virus without any apparent damage. Not only should the antivirus be able to detect the virus but also be able to get rid of the virus. Some antivirus software can only detect but not get rid of the virus. So based on these tips, you should be able to consider the best antivirus solution to get.
source: http://goo.gl/NHsXo
So how does one choose the best antivirus software? Basically, you must first find out how frequently is virus definitions updated. Virus definitions are defined (pardon the pun) as the basis of the antivirus solution in determining whether one's computer has been infected or not. So the more updated is the antivirus tool, the higher the chance of preventing your computer from being infected. So consider this the most important aspect in choosing an antivirus program that could be updated frequently and quickly.
A computer can be infected when the user browses the internet and opens websites or emails. So the antivirus software has to be configured in such a way that it can automatically update its virus definition whenever the user goes online. If the software is really good, the software should be able to scan incoming and outgoing emails for viruses automatically. This is because most viruses are spread through emails without the acknowledgment of either the sender or the recipient.
However the best way to assume that the antivirus software is the best is to check whether the software could perform automatic scanning of the whole system. This is because often a computer can be infected with virus without any apparent damage. Not only should the antivirus be able to detect the virus but also be able to get rid of the virus. Some antivirus software can only detect but not get rid of the virus. So based on these tips, you should be able to consider the best antivirus solution to get.
source: http://goo.gl/NHsXo
avast! Free Antivirus wins 12th straight VB100 award
PRAGUE, Czech Republic – avast! Free Antivirus won its twelfth straight VB100 award for malware detection for AVAST Software in the latest Virus Bulletin test. avast! Free Antivirus combined high scanning speed with very good detection skills that exceeded the best that many paid-for consumer and high-end business products could offer.“We saw some stomping good scores, highly impressive in all sets. The WildList and clean sets were handled without a glitch, earning AVAST another VB100 award for its free product,” wrote John Hawes in his review in the Virus Bulletin. “The company boasts an impeccable 12 out of 12 record in the last two years of our comparatives.”
avast! caught all 100% of the In-the-wild viruses and scored a 98.94% on total detection. avast! also had a high score in proactive detection which tests the ability of an antivirus program to identify unknown viruses without a specific malware signature. Proactive detection shows the ability of avast! Free Antivirus to offer multilayer protection and technologies that go far beyond the simple signature detection of traditional programs.
Complimenting avast!’s high detection skills were its fast scanning speeds. Only one program out of the 69 tested, McAfee VirusScan Enterprise + AntiSpyware Enterprise 8.8, had a faster throughput speed than avast!. However avast! handily beat McAfee’s product in both detection and resource usage.
Test results showed that avast! provided quite fast scans without slowing the computer down. avast! had a miniscule 1% increase in RAM usage increase during scanning – the top score among all tested products.
Although a free consumer product, avast! still provided better detection than several antivirus products targeting the business market. avast! detection topped the results posted by McAfee VirusScan Enterprise and Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.
Virus Bulletin ran its test on computers running Windows XP SP3. Over 40% of all global computers use this operating system according to the publication.
Market for Anti-Virus Software Keeps Growing
NEW YORK - The cyber security landscape is facing new pressure from a few key areas. According to a recent report by Symantec(SYMC_), targeted attacks on enterprises are becoming more common. The report also highlights the growing use of social networks as a means of attack distribution and an expected increase of attacks on mobile platforms. While these particular threats remain only a subset of cyber security concerns, their potential to increase dramatically is worth highlighting. Since social networks and mobile devices are two prominent areas of high user growth, their related security threats could see corresponding expansion. The expansion of the addressable market for anti-virus software should bolster Symantec stock.
Symantec is the leader in the security software market and competes with McAfee(MFE_) (acquired by Intel(INTC_)), Computer Associates, AVG, TrendMicro and Kaspersky Labs.
G Data Antivirus Proceeds to Help Japan
G Data Software has announced that they will donate $7 USD (5 €) to the Japanese Red Cross for every purchase made in the G Data online store through April 11, 2011. If you've been waiting to buy G Data Antivirus, G Data InternetSecurity, G Data TotalCare, or G Data NotebookSecurity, now's the time to purchase.
Or if you prefer to donate directly, Google makes it easy by handling the yen/dollar conversion so you can donate directly to the Japanese Red Cross.
DDoS attack virus wipes hard drives
A malicious code embedded in personal computers to attack Internet sites in Korea began to destroy hard drives of their host computers on Sunday, communication authorities said.Key government agencies and financial institutions suffered cyber assaults Friday and Saturday with minor damage caused.
On Sunday, the code for the so-called “distributed denial-of-service” attacks activated an order to delete all data in personal computers in which the virus was planted, the Korea Communications Commission said.
A DDoS attack uses “zombie’ computers to launch simultaneous access to selected sites and swamp them with traffic.
The code also activated programs to block those computers from downloading vaccine programs to treat the virus, it said.
The destruction of host computers usually starts four to seven days after the computers are embedded with the DDos code. But this time, it began only two days after the infection, the KCC said.
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