With Avast you get top-of-the-line antivirus protection as well as other useful security features, like its Wi-Fi Inspector that detects network vulnerabilities and its web and email protection that prevents phishing attacks and other forms of malware attacks.
Avast prioritizes customer support through documentation, knowledge bases, forums and community platforms designed to enable self-help. In addition to this self-service option, phone and live chat support is also provided for more customized assistance.
1. Powerful Antivirus Engine
Protect your device from ransomware attacks and other malware threats with the robust antivirus engine of avast Internet Security’s suite, offering features like secure browsing, remote access protection and anti-phishing components for complete cybersecurity coverage.
avast Internet Security uses real-time protection to safeguard against malware and other security threats from infiltrating your PC. With excellent malware detection rates from testing by AV-Test and PCMag, and effective anti-phishing protection to block fraudulent websites that try to take your information and passwords.
Built-in firewall protection prevents hackers from exploiting vulnerabilities in web browsers to steal personal information or monitor online activity – something available both on Windows and Mac devices.
Smart Ransomware Shield is another valuable feature, which detects suspicious apps attempting to modify your files and blocks them automatically. You can also switch on strict mode for added protection that requires your approval for every app that tries to alter them.
Unfortunately, Avast has come under criticism over their privacy policies. In late 2019 and early 2020 it was discovered that they collected user data through Jumpshot analytics service and sold it on to third-party companies, despite claims that this data had been de-identified – many consumers felt misled.
2. Advanced Firewall System
Avast Antivirus Software has proven itself as one of the premier antivirus products, receiving top marks in tests conducted by independent labs. Our testing showed its powerful malware engine detect and stop accessing numerous malicious files as well as block access to several phishing websites despite these browser’s default protections failing.
avast provides more than just malware detection capabilities – it also offers other online security features to keep you and your online life secure, such as Wi-Fi Inspector and Secure Sandboxing capabilities for extra peace of mind. With these, avast provides comprehensive protection from online threats.
Premium subscribers also gain access to Leak Protection, which prevents computers from disclosing sensitive data on public networks; Port Scan Alert warns them when cybercriminals attempt to infiltrate their network by scanning for open ports or exploiting vulnerable devices in man-in-the-middle attacks; Ransomware Protection shields them against this particularly sinister form of malware by encrypting your files and demanding ransom payments;
3. Effective Spam Filter
An effective anti-spam program protects you against unsolicited emails that contain viruses or other threats, which could compromise your computer system. The avast Internet Security antispam filter uses advanced analysis technologies to inspect both email contents and headers to detect any potential dangers, using heuristic methods for applying thousands of rules and checking spam emails; in addition, its content analysis feature applies according to scan sensitivity settings to determine whether an email can be classified as spam or not.
Avast includes both an effective virus removal tool and real-time protection that runs in the background to detect and eliminate malicious threats from invading your PC. Avast’s malware removal capabilities are effective against all forms of malware – spyware, phishing links, ransomware and Trojan horses alike – while its malware scanner provides accurate results while its detection engine constantly updates databases with any new threats that emerge.
Avast Internet Security offers a robust set of security tools to safeguard against online threats, such as a firewall and spam filter. Although its functionality may not compare with that of other suites, Avast still remains an excellent solution for home PC users. Unfortunately, however, some have recently become dissatisfied to learn that Avast has been selling user data to third parties; according to reports by Motherboard and PCMag the company collects user data via its antivirus software in order to sell trend analysis to Google, Amazon, and other marketers.
4. Web Protection
Avast’s web protection features can keep you safe online. They block malware and scam sites to ensure you don’t fall prey to hackers; identify spam and suspicious attachments to block phishing attacks; provide secure browsing to block ads while improving website loading times; as well as offer secure browser for safe browsing experiences.
avast’s user interface is designed for simplicity, featuring blue tones with orange accents from its logo. You can tailor its scanning options according to your individual needs, while its Wi-Fi Inspector identifies vulnerabilities in network connections. Furthermore, avast offers a sandbox environment which isolates applications and files from harming other parts of your PC, creating a safer computing experience.
Avast’s powerful malware engine achieved an outstanding detection rate in our tests, boasting an exceptional 98 percent detection rate in our lab tests. Avast also offers strong web protection, Rescue Disk functionality, an anti-tracking protection feature for online banking and shopping, advanced anti-tracking protection features, as well as system optimization tools that optimize system performance. Unfortunately it does have some downsides, including impacting performance and an expensive premium version price; additionally it has been reported to sometimes flag harmless programs as malware leading to unnecessary alerts and disruptions in workflow.
5. Email Shield
Avast Internet Security comes equipped with an email shield that scans incoming and outgoing email for malicious attachments, links and threats such as viruses. You can set it either for full protection mode which blocks all viruses or an advanced mode which reduces scanning speed but still offers effective virus protection.
This package provides advanced scanning options, such as a Deep Scan that scans all drives, Targeted Scan that examines specific files or folders, and Boot-Time Scan that checks for threats before Windows starts up. There are plenty of configuration settings available as well – you can set how a detected file, program or application should be treated (fix automatically, move to Quarantine, run as admin etc), define custom scan types with priority scan settings etc.
Avast antivirus protection has long been revered. PCMag reported that it “detects and removes almost every known threat,” while AV-Test found it “detected and removed all malware tested during our rigorous real-world tests”. Furthermore, Avast features other essential cybersecurity measures, including firewall protection, password management tools, data shredding services, spam filtering tools and an anti-spam filter – providing complete cybersecurity for every computer on any network.
6. Password Manager
Avast Password Manager provides password storage, autofill and synchronization across devices as well as features such as an online encrypted vault with master password for added protection. However, unlike LastPass it lacks dark web monitoring and breach alert features making it less attractive in comparison. Avast’s free version only includes basic management tools whereas upgrading to their Premium version unlocks Password Guardian and One-Touch Login features.
The password manager uses industry standard AES-256-bit encryption and a zero-knowledge policy to keep all entries and passwords you store private to yourself – an invaluable feature for users worried about hackers gaining access to their personal information. Additionally, it automatically generates strong passwords for your accounts and saves them in an encrypted vault. Furthermore, you can access them across different devices without using your browser, and save multiple logins for different websites. Even with these security-oriented features, Avast Passwords does not rank among the best password managers on the market, due to a lack of essential features like sharing plans and two-factor authentication (2FA). Furthermore, as its development is limited due to a lack of active participation by developers it may never receive updates and bug fixes from them.
7. Secure Browser
Avast Secure Browser features an intuitive user interface that enables them to customize its features to meet their individual needs, including a Stealth Mode that hides search history and prevents websites from accessing webcams on PCs. Avast also provides advanced privacy tools, including Stealth Mode which keeps websites from accessing webcams on PCs, along with many other advanced privacy measures such as blocking any advertisements on webcams on PCs.
Bank Mode in this program creates a secure desktop environment for online banking, protecting financial information from malware and keyloggers while its streamlined design and efficient resource management ensure fast page load times and improved browsing performance.
Additionally, this program includes a Privacy and Security Center which offers users various security-focused extensions to bolster their protection capabilities and block tracking, manage passwords securely, or add extra layers of protection.
avast Internet Security is one of the most effective programs available for protecting your PC from viruses and other threats, while its powerful web and email protection capabilities help prevent hackers from accessing any sensitive personal information stored on your device. In addition, its optimization tools help keep its performance at an optimum level and protect you from device slowdown or battery drain.
