Tag Archives: Avast for Business

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Avast for Business gets task scheduling for IT admins

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The Avast business solutions team is excited to announce the newest update to Avast for Business – Task Scheduling.

All scheduling features are turned on in the Premium version, for those who manage multiple endpoints

All scheduling features are turned on in the Premium version, for those who manage multiple endpoints

Now Avast for Business users can set the date, time, and frequency for all scans, updates, and system shutdowns. This reduces the impact on your workforce and increases your protection.

“The task scheduler in the Premium version of Avast for Business gives IT managers the ability to plan all their tasks in advance,” explained Martin Svoboda, Avast for Business’s technical product manager. “Even more, they can set up how often tasks will be executed, which means that this feature saves their time!”

Better protection, less disruption

We recommend that IT managers schedule a weekly full-system scan to ensure that your network is safe. You can also schedule scans to run over night or during lunchtime to preserve productivity. Check out these examples:

At a school – All the computers in each classroom, lab, and office need to be turned off at the end of the school day. The old, time-consuming way was to visit each room and manually shut down one-by-one. With Task Scheduling, the administrator can use the Avast for Business web console to create a shutdown task that will execute every day at 6:00 PM. No more walking the hallways at the end of the day; all devices will shut down when you schedule them to.

Select how often your task should run

Select how often your task should run

 

In a company – As the owner of a small company, one of your most important tasks is to keep your customer’s data secure. Many SMBs and non-profits allow BYOD (bring your own device), but employees have valuable data on their devices that you need to make sure stays secure. One click of an infected webpage, and your whole network could be at risk for data leaks and hackers. With task scheduler,  you can create a task which will be executed every day at 12:00 AM and perform a scan on all devices. In case there is an infection, Avast Antivirus can handle it before it reaches the company network.

Select the time your task should run

Select the time your task should run

 

What else is new in Avast for Business 1.9

  • Ability to schedule all types of tasks [Premium only]
  • Ability to schedule recurring tasks [Premium only]
  • Ability to manage exclusions for the Sandbox
  • Ability to manage your Web browser exclusion-settings for the Sandbox
  • Ability to manage Sandbox storage
  • The “Devices awaiting activation” notification now contains up to 20 devices plus a link to the web Console where you can see all awaiting devices

Avast for Business is the first free business-grade security for PCs, Macs, and servers. It’s managed via a web-based portal and available to protect business networks of all sizes. Learn how you can get started with Avast for Business in your company or school.

Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.

 

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5 questions with Timmy Forson: Business Support Hall-of-Famer

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Business support person, Timmy Forson

Business support Hall-of-Famer, Timmy Forson

Timothy “Timmy” Forson is one of Avast’s business products finest Support Specialists. He began working at Avast on June 1st, 2015. We sat down to learn more about one of our support Hall-of-Famers. This is 5 questions with Timmy!

1. What is your role at Avast Software?

Senior Support Specialist. Basically I support all our business solution customers, from Endpoint and Server protection to Avast for Business via email, phone, and chat. I work from our Charlotte, North Carolina office.

2. What is your approach to supporting customers?

First, I analyze the customer’s issues one step at a time, this way I can gather a clear and concise picture of the overall problem. Then through a streamlined method of troubleshooting, I can provide a solution for the customer’s issue and communicate that as plainly as possible.

In this, I am not only solving the customer’s issue but also educating the customer about what caused the issue and how it can be further avoided. This way the customer walks away truly feeling how much they mean to us and not just like another number to the company. We want our customers to have a positive experience with support.  

3. What is your favorite part of chat support?

Not knowing what will show up in chat next. It is very rewarding taking someone’s bad day and turning it around just like that.

4. A lot of us have been “that customer,” the one that runs to support for something obvious. What is the funniest issue you’ve ever had to resolve? (KEEP IT G-RATED TIMMY ) :-)

This would have to be a customer that came into chat one day and needed help downloading the installer file from the console. I asked the customer to click on the blue “add new devices” button. They looked all over that page for the button and could not find it….about 30 seconds later they reply ”…oh…the blinking blue button that says ‘add new devices?” ….Yes….that is it I replied. Everyone has those moments.

5. Traditionally the last question is not work related. I understand you fly stuff. Tell me all about that, then tell me what your favorite plane is and why?

I have been flying since the age of 14 (it runs in the family). I started out in a J-3 Piper Cub and rapidly moved my way up through the Cessna Caravan and also have time in a B-200 King Air and a BeachJet 400.

Currently, I fly search and rescue for the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force. We conduct 95% of all homeland search and rescue missions. We operate a beefed-up Cessna 182, and the Gruman GA-8.

Along with flying the big airplanes, I also enjoy designing, building, and flying R/C model aircraft as well. I currently have a collection of 12 airplanes and 4 helicopters. Here’s a video of Timmy flying one of his helicopters in the meeting room at Avast offices in Charlotte.

I would have to say that I have two favorite aircraft; the first one is from WW2 called the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. It was a formidable fighter with a reputation for taking a pounding and bringing its pilots home safe. The other is my favorite fighter of today – the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. I fell in love with these aircraft the first time I saw them when I was 5 years old at an airshow in Maryland.

Flying is the one thing that I can say without a doubt I am 100% passionate about. I am also a member of the Avast Aviators group on Google Plus. It is an internal group for anyone in Avast that enjoys the splendors of aviation.

Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.

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Avast for Business makes life easy for IT professionals

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Businesses and organizations use Avast for Business, the security solution that’s easy to deploy and manage (and free!).

Business sectors such as education, retail, healthcare, IT consulting firms love and use Avast business security solutions for their ease-of-use and effectiveness against threats. In less than a year, more than one million devices have been secured by our cloud-managed security solution.  A reason for its success is because many businesses, schools, and other organizations lack the IT resources to install costly and complex security solutions.

At our recent Avast Grand Opening gala event, a team of Avastians demonstrated how even the most IT-challenged staff can easily deploy Avast for Business to manage PCs, Macs, and servers from a central console and easily set up different levels of protection.

Michal Trs and Martin Svoboda present Avast for Business at the Grand Opening gala event.

Michal Trs and Martin Svoboda present Avast for Business at the Grand Opening gala event.

Once the team had demonstrated how to deploy an account, they then showed what happens in the nightmare scenario of an infection running wild in a company network. In the simulation, a threat detection was emailed to the central console, where the team’s acting IT professional was able to view and manage potential threats on all employee devices protected by Avast for Business.

The best part? Everything from deploying the program to managing it on employee devices can be done from the comfort of an IT professional’s own office chair. Sign up for an Avast for Business account on on our website.

 

Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.

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Small and midsize businesses are targeted most often by hackers

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“SMBs are not just targets of cybercrime, they are its principal target”

says a U.S. Security and Exchange Commission report from last fall. In fact, the majority of all targeted cyberattacks last year were directed at SMBs.

The New York Times, in its article No Business Too Small to Be Hacked, said that 60% of all online attacks in 2014 targeted small and mid-sized businesses. Of those attacked, more than half (60%) would go out of business within 6 months of a data breach. That’s a lot of broken dreams and heart ache because of a lack of security.

Avast for Business autoshop

Small and mid-sized businesses use Avast for Business to protect from cyberthreats.

Small businesses lack IT expertise and budget

SMBs make attractive targets because they often neglect their security or rely on older consumer security software for protection. Money is always an issue, and sometimes the budget doesn’t allow for an expensive security package.

Just recently, our free, cloud-managed security solution, Avast for Business, passed a milestone – more than 1 million endpoints protected in less than a year. From our relationship with IT admins in sectors as diverse as Education, Non-profits, Retail, IT consulting firms, and SMBs, we have learned that many organizations lack in-house expertise or resources to install costly and complex security solutions.

“All we wanted was a simple security solution that worked, and I knew we didn’t have to pay a fortune for it,” said Tyler Hisel, an IT technician in Ohio.  “Avast was cost saving and had lots of features that I was surprised came free,” he said, “I’ve got to hand it to you, it’s really an impressive product and it being free just makes it better.”

How to protect your organization from cyberattacks

  • Install Avast for Business to protect your PCs, Macs, and servers from hackers and data breaches. Avast for Business is easy to deploy and monitor. Our customers tell us that even IT-challenged staff have no issues using our security solution.
  • Create strong passwords. This is an easy piece of advice that many small business people fail to take. We understand that using passwords which are 20 characters with a mix of capital letters, numbers, and symbols is challenging to manage. That’s why Avast has created Avast Passwords, a free password management system which creates strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts. It’s free in all Avast Antivirus programs, and synchronizes across your devices.
  • Train your employees. Many hacks originate from employees clicking on malicious links or websites. Explain the concept of social engineering to your employees, what the most recent methods of attacks are, and the latest malware threats. Follow this blog or Avast on Facebook or Twitter to stay informed.

Avast for Business is available for every business worldwide

Avast for Business is free for every organization worldwide. Visit Avast for Business to learn more and sign up.

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Avast for Business: Zero to One Million endpoints protected in less than a year

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Avast for Business takes off

 

Since the launch of Avast for Business, a free, cloud-managed security solution, in February 2015, organizations worldwide have deployed it to protect more than one million PCs, Macs, and servers from cyberattacks and data breaches.

Avast for Business is successful across diverse sectors

Avast for Business is extremely popular with Education, Non-profits, Retail, Healthcare, IT consulting firms, and small business because many organizations lack the IT resources to install costly and complex security solutions. Avast for Business is easily scalable and managed from anywhere. Additionally, Avast for Business starts at a price everyone can afford: Free, making it a natural fit for organizations worldwide.

Education IT admins value easy deployment, management, and the free cost

The sector that has embraced Avast for Business whole-heartedly is Education. IT administrators from universities, school districts, private and charter schools, libraries, and museums all tell us that ease of deployment and management is at the top of their security solution wish list. The fact that it’s also free makes it an easy decision.

“Avast for Business is so easy to deploy and monitor, it’s made the administration of our network much smoother,” said Jothan Virgil, an IT Administrator at Alabama State University. The university has a large network managed by multiple IT professionals, with over 1,000 faculty and staff members and more than 5,600 students. Avast for Business now protects all of them from one console.

“We had AVG before switching to Avast and we really needed to simplify our security solution,” said Tyler Hisel, an IT technician with the Chillicothe City School District in Ohio. He needed software with easy-to-use centralized management where he could monitor the district’s devices. “All we wanted was a simple security solution that worked, and I knew we didn’t have to pay a fortune for it,” he said, “Avast was cost saving and had lots of features that I was surprised came free,” said Tyler. “I’ve got to hand it to you, it’s really an impressive product and it being free just makes it better.”

Non-profits value ease-of-use and the free cost

Monitoring their budget is a priority for non-profits. Avast for Business is free and compared to other antivirus solutions, the optional support costs are nominal. Michael Hensley, Information and Facilities Officer at NeighborImpact, a non-profit human-services agency in central Oregon switched from BitDefender because of the costs.

“The savings on software were extremely helpful in budgeting for our hardware upgrade. The extra money allowed us to get hardware in a different category than we otherwise would have been able to afford,” he said.

Hensley’s staff is not tech-savvy, which contributed to significant security issues in the past.

“The fact that [Avast for Business] is cloud-managed is the primary feature that we needed. We have offices and classrooms distributed throughout the area. We are able to monitor all of our computers from the web-console which has shown consistent improvement.”

SMBs and MSPs value prevention, support, and the free cost

Many businesses have budgeted for security, so free software isn’t the priority, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Scott Quinn from Montana-based Caritas Design, a small husband and wife web-design firm said, “Any savings are huge for us.”

Despite the huge savings, the primary need is simple managementfrom a solution designed “to keep our clients and servers in a secure environment,” said Levent Silay, of Login Business Solutions, a Managed Service Provider in Istanbul, Turkey. The advantages of Avast’s cloud-managed business security according to Silay are “the quick and easy installation, the monitoring screen that helps in the visualization of all the computers on the network, the online management that can be utilized from anywhere, and the fact that it’s simple and there is no need for training.”

When managing your own business or multiple clients, quick support is essential. Quinn says, “Their support has been amazing on the rare occasions I’ve needed to utilize them. I would, and will, recommend Avast for Business to everyone I encounter.”

Avast for Business is available for every business worldwide

Avast for Business is free for every organization worldwide. Visit Avast for Business to learn more and sign up.

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How SMBs in the UK Handle their Company’s Security

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UK Avast for Business INFOGRAPHICIn February, Avast launched the world’s first free, easy to use, cloud-managed security offering, Avast for Business, protecting SMBs from viruses and cyberattacks. We conducted a survey amongst our Avast for Business users in the UK to gain further insight into how local SMBs handle their security.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents said that 100% of their company’s employees use the Internet. Businesses, whether small or large, retail or non-profit, often have a database of valuable customer data, making them an attractive target for cybercriminals.

Cybercrooks use social engineering to attack businesses, tricking employees via phishing scam to, for example, gain access to a company’s network. Despite the high number of data breaches, 57% of SMBs in the UK invest only 0-2% – little to nothing – of their IT budget on security.

Who handles IT support services for SMBs in the UK?

  • 1 out of 10 said an employee (not a designated IT admin) handles the company’s IT support services
  • Nearly 50% have an in-house technician
  • 1 out of 10 have an external supplier/technician handles the company’s IT support services
  • 28% of SMB business owners handle their company’s IT

BYOD

More than half of SMBs in the UK allow their employees to access company data from their personal devices. Bring your own device (BYOD) is a convenient practice SMBs have embraced, as it saves costs and encourages productivity.

However, BYOD can be risky, if not handled properly. Not only can hackers target the device to gain access to sensitive corporate information, but if the device is lost or stolen, the company data stored on it goes with the device. More than half (52%) of SMBs authorize employees to access corporate data on personal devices, yet the majority (54%) doesn’t run a BYOD scheme. 

Threats

Losing valuable and confidential data (31%) is the greatest security risk to UK SMBs along with productivity (23%) and losing customers (16%). We asked our business users if a virus or threat had infected them before switching to Avast for Business. When it came down to it, threats and hacks cost six out of 10 businesses productivity, followed by data loss (19%).

Types of security solutions SMBs used prior to switching to Avast for Business:

  • More than half (55%) used free consumer security solutions
  • 23% used premium business security solutions
  • Nearly one out of ten used premium consumer security solutions
  • Nearly one out of ten either do not know what kind of security solution they used before switching to Avast for Business or did not use any security solution (3%)

If your SMB has a low IT budget or if your business is currently using a consumer security solution, make sure you check out Avast for Business. Avast for Business is FREE and can be downloaded here.

 

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TGIF: Wrap-up May 6 – June 5

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We have had a busy month with multiple announcements important to Avast customers and company-watchers. Here’s the quick rundown in case you missed it.

Avast SecureMe protects Apple watch

Avast SecureMe will launch in the next month or so to protect the new Apple Watch, as well as iPhones and iPads, when connected to unsecured Wi-Fi. That’s sure to make Apple gadget freaks happy. Read Avast SecureMe Protects Apple Watch Wi-Fi Users.

Image via TechRadar

Image via TechRadar

Windows 10 is scheduled to launch in July, and Avast is ready. Avast version V2015 R2 and newer are already compatible with Windows 10. Read Latest versions of Avast compatible with Windows 10.

New version of Avast has superior detection than older versions Avast customers who are using older versions of our Avast antivirus products cannot upgrade to Windows 10, but more importantly they will no longer receive product upgrades or enhancements. We recommend that everyone upgrade to the latest version to benefit from better detection rates and new features. Read Support for older Avast versions will end.

ASUS partners with Avast The new Android powered tablets by ASUS come preloaded with Avast Mobile Security, so you are protected right out of the box. Read New ASUS ZenPad to come with Avast Mobile Security.

Avast announces the opening of our new Charlotte, N.C. office.Want a career with Avast? A new Avast Software office has opened in Charlotte, North Carolina to bring the new free Avast for Business to the U.S. market and beyond. Read The Tar Heel State welcomes Avast Software.

Check out the Avast blog for other news and how-to articles that provide useful information about security, privacy, and Avast products. Have a great weekend! :-)

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The Tar Heel State welcomes Avast Software

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Avast announces the opening of our new Charlotte, N.C. office.

Avast announces the opening of our new Charlotte, N.C. office.

During this beautiful spring in “The Queen City” aka Charlotte, North Carolina, new Avast Software offices have opened their doors bringing 60 IT, marketing, business development, and technical support jobs to the area.

The flagship product launching out of the Charlotte office is Avast for Business, the new free, easy-to-use, cloud-managed security offering designed with small and medium sized businesses (SMBs), educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and small government in mind. Luke Walling, a long time Charlotte resident, is the general manager and vice president of Avast for Business.

“We’re thrilled to open doors in Charlotte,” said Walling. “With state-of-the-art facilities in North Carolina coupled with regional offices across the globe, Avast is in prime position to ensure our customers receive top-notch security solutions for their PCs, Macs and servers. As small business owners realize the essential need for data protection in today’s digital world, we’re happy to provide a free product that’s both reliable and secure. Charlotte has been home to me for many years and I’m pleased to report such a strong start.”

Since its launch in February 2015, Avast for Business has been adopted by 75,000 new customers.The freemium software model that Avast brings will change the complexion of security products for small businesses that are often priced out of the security game by expensive resellers, or forced to settle on using consumer-grade security software for business purposes. Avast for Business provides an easily managed and scalable solution for SMBs.

Avast expects to hire about 60 people based in Charlotte within the next few months. Job listings can be found on the Avast careers website and at this writing include positions such as Technical Support Specialist, Marketing Specialist, and several positions for Software engineers and a Senior UX Design/Creative.

The growing team is settling into their new office space, and with perks like an Avast orange pool table, free-flowing coffee and soft drinks, and team-building dinners and fun days out, they are sure to build upon their initial success. Welcome to Avast, Charlotte!

Marketing manager, Cathy F. cuddles with Chester
Sales rep Robert B. takes a pool break
Handsome pool table covered with Avast orange
Vanir I., data analyst has a park view from his desk
Chester reads the writing on the wall
The daily caffeine fix
Roger R. at dinner with the Charlotte team
Elena C. from Prague visits with Mike H.
Mirek S. from Prague enjoys a beer with Luke W., VP of the Charlotte office
Jessica T. enjoys the conversation with her Prague colleagues
Fun day out at Carowinds
Cathy F. and Robert B. are brave before riding the Carolina Cobra
These Avastians have braggin' rights after conquering the Nighthawk!

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Business owners rejoice – you can now get business-grade security for free from Avast

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Avast is pleased to offer the World’s First Free Business-Grade Security to small and medium-sized businesses.

Avast for Business protects SMBs for free

In a move that will make a difference to the security of local businesses across the USA and the UK, Avast launches Avast for Business—a free, easy to use, cloud-managed security offering that protects small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) from viruses and cyber attacks.

This is the first free information security product built specifically for businesses with cross-platform protection, meaning that it protects both PCs and Macs. It solves a problem that many businesses have: No IT staff, lean IT budgets, lack of know-how, or even any security at all.

“Since 2001 we’ve delivered great, free security products for home users,” said Vince Steckler, Chief Executive Officer of Avast. “We believe the time is right to provide great security that is not only free, but also simple for SMBs to implement and manage. A small business may not view their customer database or online orders at the same level as data of an enterprise. Avast for Business addresses the problem of those businesses using consumer products and not being adequately protected; it gives those enterprises a business-class solution they can grow with.”

Avast for Business is easy for SMB owners to install, configure and manage advanced security solutions with or without the help of a full-time IT manager. Users are able to effortlessly monitor, manage and protect devices anywhere, anytime from Avast’s cloud-management console.

“Anybody can use the interface,” said Kyle Barker of Championship Networks, an Avast partner in North Carolina, USA. “If you’ve ever seen a simple installment of Avast, you’ve seen the interface, you know the controls. Anybody that ever used the small office console already knows every feature that’s in this product. It’s a simple transition.”

From the easy-to-navigate console, users have the ability to configure robust reporting and alerting to easily stay on top of what is happening inside of their environment. Avast for Business features include:

  • Free Essential Antivirus protection (File Shield, Web Shield, Mail Shield)
  • HTTP and HTTPS Threat Scanning & Integrated Browser Protection
  • A Web-based management console that is accessible anywhere, anytime.
  • Robust reporting and alerting engine
  • Cross-Platform Support including Windows and Mac OSX.

For advanced security requirements, Avast for Business also offers premium services. There are no limits on the number of protected devices, and businesses can activate and deactivate licenses as needed. This allows them to grow comfortably without the concern of overwhelming costs.

“It’s very easy to choose on a month to month basis the number of licenses you want. Any number of licenses can be mixed from free and premium and you can change this on a month to month basis,” said Barker.

Later in 2015, Avast will introduce programs for managed service providers and the reseller channel, to benefit from the power of free. In the spring, Avast will form its first ever partner advisory council in order to bring partners closer to Avast, to discuss features and functions specific to their needs.

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Good guys finish first: Avast is the leading security company worldwide

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Downloading

“Installing an antivirus product is the first, not last, step to having a safe and secure computer.”

Avast is the leader in the cyber security arms race.

There are others fighting the fight, but a 21.4% share makes Avast the leader in the antivirus vendor market as reported in OPSWAT’s quarterly market share report.

That’s good news for individuals and business owners concerned about protecting themselves from vulnerable networks, swiped passwords, pilfered finanical data, erased online identities, and stolen Social Security or national ID numbers. Opinions about the future of cyber-attacks range from doom and gloom to optimism about the steady progress in security, but the fact remains that in today’s world, we have to work around the Internet’s vulnerable design and motivated hackers challenging businesses and home users.

“Installing an antivirus product is the first, not last, step to having a safe and secure computer,” said OPSWAT’s Gears product manager, Adam Winn. “Avast’s popular antivirus and security products are helping to improve security for all. Creating accessible antivirus products for home users contributes to an overall improved security status for everyone, even businesses.”

The OPSWAT report contains the latest figures on antivirus market share and usage, as well as analysis of compromised devices. A disturbing finding from the report stated,

More than 90% of Windows PCs have not run an antivirus full system scan in the last 7 days. Of these, 15% hadn’t even had their antivirus definitions updated within the previous three days which might explain why over3% were found to be seriously infected.

“It’s reasonable to assume in an organization with 400 PCs, a full dozen are compromised,” said Winn as an illustration of the seriousness. “The interconnected state of computing has blurred the lines between home and business, especially with BYOD, remote working, and SaaS. For this reason, it’s in everyone’s best interest that traditional antivirus protection continues to be in place to deter casual and commodity attacks.”

A lack of regular updates and full system scanning is especially problematic. Organizations without robust endpoint management and solutions in place to identify and remediate these risks are giving insecure devices access to their networks and could find themselves in violation of data security regulations.

Avast for Business protects companies for free

A lack of regular updates and full system scanning is especially problematic. Organizations without robust endpoint management and solutions in place to identify and remediate these risks are giving insecure devices access to their networks and could find themselves in violation of data security regulations.

Avast for Business“Our anti-malware engine keeps businesses and individuals protected with up to hundreds of continuous streaming micro-updates throughout the day, providing realtime protection against today’s complex threat landscape,” said Luke Walling, GM and VP of SMB at Avast. “By protecting the most devices we have the best insight into that threat landscape, and that translates into better protection for all of our users. Avast for Business is our answer to providing businesses from startup to maturity a tool for the best protection, and there’s no reason for even the smallest of companies not to use it, because it starts at a price everyone can afford, free.”

The data for the report was collected by OPSWAT GEARS, a free device security and management tool. You can add your computer to the sample if you don’t mind them collecting information regarding the applications installed on your computer. Check it out here, https://www.opswatgears.com/

Avast leads in the antivirus vendor market with a 21.4% share

Avast leads in the antivirus vendor market with a 21.4% share