The world’s most popular security program just got even better with the launch of avast! Free Antivirus 7.
The new version makes security faster and easier for users by providing faster information from the “cloud” on new and emerging threats. Helping family and friends solve their computer issues has never been easier thanks to the new avast! Remote Access and Account features.
“avast! Free Antivirus is our flagship product. This means that for every new generation of avast!, we provide more features in the free product than we had in the previous premium versions,” said Vince Steckler, CEO of AVAST Software. “avast! 7 is no exception to this rule, even though the last product refresh was only a year ago.”
Many of the technologies available in avast! 7 Free Antivirus are not even available in other commercial products. With avast! Free Antivirus, cloud technologies have been harnessed to give users streaming updates and more thoroughly distinguish between malicious and clean files.
“With avast! 7, our users have a security app that is ready for the challenges of today – and tomorrow,” Mr. Steckler said. avast! 7 is Windows 8 Beta compatible and includes specific features for Windows 8 such as the Early-Load Antimalware Driver (ELAM) against system-level rootkits and bootkits.
Avast noted some of the new features available in the new version:
The AVAST Cloud
All avast! 7 users have streaming updates from the cloud in addition to daily virus database updates. Throughout the day, AVAST streams updates to users, giving them faster warnings about new malware. This supplements regular virus updates, keeping users informed and protected regardless of their internet connection.
FileRep
The new FileRep feature enables faster threat identification by sorting new, potentially dangerous files from known safe files. With hundreds of millions of executable files already in the cloud-based database, the goal of FileRep is to categorize all files on the web. Sourced from the CommunityIQ sensor network, this data helps avast! decide when questionable files should be placed in the AutoSandbox.
Remote Assistance
"Remote Assistance lets a geeky friend help others solve their computer problems,” said Ondrej Vlcek, CTO of AVAST Software. An avast! user can connect to the computer of a second avast! user, allowing the “helper-friend” to help with any computer issues. No additional remote assistance program is needed. Routed through the AVAST servers, the tool provides safe and secure way to help - without requiring a house call.
The Avast! Account
“With the avast! Account, we’ve made a one-place setting for the family IT geek to take care of their family’s security needs,” said Mr. Vlcek. Account users can see information on the avast! installed in each listed computer, its operational status, and the health of each individual machine.
Less phishing with WebRep
The improved WebRep browser plugin can now detect counterfeit sites. "We’ve added phishing data from our Virus Lab to user-submitted votes on site reliability to provide all users with a more complete package of information," Mr. Vlcek explained. In addition to detecting phishing attempts, WebRep can also identify fake/planted SSL certificates used to “authenticate” malicious sites.
To learn more, or to download the free version of avast! 7.0, visit http://www.avast.com.
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