And it flags any possible network security problems. Devices that have connected most recently show up in the innermost circles. It displays its findings visually, with the router at the center surrounded by concentric circles.
In a modern household, full of Internet of Things devices, the list can be quite long. The Wi-Fi Inspector crawls your network (Wi-Fi or wired) and lists all found devices. That scan took about 10 minutes in testing, while a full system scan for malware needed more than two hours to complete, which is a good bit longer than average.
It checks browser add-ons, scans for active malware, identifies performance issues, seeks out for network security problems, flags software that lacks security patches, and warns about weak passwords. See How We Test Security Software Other Shared FeaturesĬlicking the Smart Scan button on the main window launches a multifaceted system scan. Bitdefender edged out Avast with 99 percent, while Kaspersky and McAfee managed 100 percent protection. However, even that estimable score doesn't receive the antiphishing prize. AVG scored exactly the same (no surprise, given that it uses the same engine) ZoneAlarm and Trend Micro Internet Security (39.95 3 PCs / 1 Year at Trend Micro Small Business) also managed 98 percent. It correctly identified 98 percent of them as frauds, steering the browser to safety. It just takes one unsuspecting victim to make the whole charade worthwhile.Īvast's web-based protection really went to town on my freshly gathered phishing sites. To this end, they imitate sensitive websites such as banking sites, shopping sites, even gaming and dating sites. Instead, they try to trick you, the user, into blithely giving away your precious login credentials. Phishing websites don't attempt to plant malware on your system or subvert vulnerable applications. However, Symantec Norton Security Premium and McAfee both managed 99 percent protection in this test. Its total of 91 percent protection is good. Avast directed the browser away from 62 percent of the 100-odd URLs and wiped out the malware download for another 29 percent.
To get insight into how well each product handles the very latest malware problems, I start with a feed of malware-hosting URLs discovered by MRG-Effitas within the last few days. Webroot SecureAnywhere Internet Security Plus earned a perfect 10 points, but that achievement used my previous sample set, so it's not directly comparable. Tested against the same collection of samples, Cylance, F-Secure, Norton, and McAfee all managed 9.3 points. That's good, but several products did even better. Bitdefender came in next, with 9.9 points, though its omission from the latest MRG-Effitas tests means its score derived from just three of the four labs.Īvast earned 8.9 points in my own hands-on malware protection test. Kaspersky retains the overall lab-test crown, with a perfect 10 points. Like Avira, Avast came in at 9.6 points, with results from all four labs. I use an algorithm to map all scores onto a 10-point scale and generate an aggregate result. And it passed both rigorous tests imposed by MRG-Effitas. SE Labs certified it at the AA level, the second-best of five certification levels. It earned 17.5 of 18 possible points in tests by AV-Test Institute, and it achieved an Advanced+ rating (the highest possible rating) in all four tests by AV-Comparatives. Lab Test Results Chart Malware Protection Results Chart Phishing Protection Results ChartĪll four of the independent testing labs that I follow track Avast closely. You can read my review of the free antivirus for a deep dive on the features shared by both products.
It's one of our Editors' Choice products for free antivirus, and naturally this suite includes all the same protective features. The main difference is that suite-specific features aren't locked away.įeatures Shared With Avast Free AntivirusĪvast Free Antivirus comes with Avast's full arsenal of malware protection, plus a useful collection of bonus features.
A simple menu down the left side lets you view features related to Protection, Privacy, and Performance. The main Status page features a big notification saying, "You're protected," with a button to launch a Smart Scan.
When you click a non-free component in the free antivirus, it prompts you to upgrade to this suite.Īppearance-wise, this suite looks almost identical to the free antivirus product. That product is on the outs, and not promoted for new installations-though existing users can renew.
Best Malware Removal and Protection SoftwareĪstute readers may notice the absence of Avast Pro Antivirus in this discussion.