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AV-TEST rates Avast Free Antivirus 2016 as a top security product for Windows Home Users

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Avast Free Antivirus 2016 obtained highly positive ratings in AV-TEST's recent Product Review.

Avast Free Antivirus 2016 obtained highly positive ratings in AV-TEST’s recent Product Review.

AV-TEST, the leading and worldwide operating service provider for IT security testing services, has recently revealed the results of their Product Review and Certification Report for November-December 2015. AV-TEST describes the details of the review on their website:

. . .we continuously evaluated 20 home user security products using their default settings. We always used the most current publicly-available version of all products for the testing. They were allowed to update themselves at any time and query their in-the-cloud services. We focused on realistic test scenarios and challenged the products against real-world threats. Products had to demonstrate their capabilities using all components and protection layers.

 

Avast passes the AV-TEST Product Review with flying colors

Avast Free Antivirus 2016 obtained five out a maximum six points in performance and all six points in both protection and usability tests. In AV-TEST’s review, the product was tested on Windows 8.1 Professional (64 bit).

The performance test measures the average influence of the product on a computer’s speed in daily usage. The Protection test consists of real-world testing methods against zero-day malware attacks, inclusive of web and email threats. Lastly, the Usability test examines the impact of security software on the usability of a user’s entire computer.

Our website includes further information, as well as download links, to all Avast 2016 products. Check them out online.

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

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Has the Windows Phone Store become a new target for hackers?

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Almost exactly two months ago, we reported on some fake apps found in the Windows Phone Store. Unfortunately, the news hasn’t stopped there – instead, it seems that this third-party app store is becoming an increasingly popular platform for the bad guys. Today, we‘ve uncovered quite a large set of fake apps which includes scams imitating legitimate popular apps such as Facebook Messenger, CNN, BBC, and WhatsApp.

Fake apps advertised by Ngetich Walter on the Windows Phone Store.

Fake apps advertised by Ngetich Walter on the Windows Phone Store.

There are two perpetrators behind these fake apps: Ngetich Walter and Cheruiyot Dennis. Between the two of them, they have 58 different apps available in the Windows Phone Store, all of which are fake. The majority of the apps have certain things in common — they collect basic data about users and display various advertisements that are mostly driven by a user’s location. A portion of the apps try to lead users to pages that force them to submit a request to purchase something. Let’s take a closer look at two of them:

1. World News CNN (a.k.a. Abundant Life): What first appears to be a CNN World News app is actually an evangelical message titled “Abundant Life“.

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2. Fake Avast Antivirus: Along with the illegitimate social and news apps we discovered, there were even fake Avast apps added into the mix. Fortunately, each of the fake Avast apps are harmless and don’t accomplish anything more else then redirecting users to Avast’s website and displaying advertisements to the user.

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Money, money, money

It’s fairly obvious that hackers don’t do this sort of thing for free. After looking into monetization methods, it appears that hackers are primarly using two ways to profit from producing and circulating fake apps on a large scale:

1. Advertisement clicks: Apps load different kinds of advertisement kits, which are clicked either by the user or, in some cases, the app itself. Theoretically, the bigger the number of apps that you advertise on an app store, the larger number of clicks you would receive – another reason that hackers often offer a large number of fake apps at once.

2. Misleading advertisements: Certain ad servers are remotely controlled, giving them the power to switch different advertisements on and off. In some cases, those ads lead to scammy pages that try to convince you that your device has security issues and that you need to install some other paid product to fix it.

What is the motivation behind propogating fake apps?

These days, the Google Play store and iTunes continue to implement smarter solutions to protect their entire ecosystems. This approach is making these systems quite difficult to attack and monetize, causing hackers to avoid them altogether. As a result, a less widely used, third-party app store such as the Windows Phone Store is an ideal place for a hacker to hunt for security loopholes. On top of analyzing the reasons behind why these cybercriminals do what they do, it’s also interesting to consider the fact that often, fake apps remain on third-party app stores for weeks and even months at a time. For some reason, no one takes the time to report bad apps, even if it’s clear that they are fake and the majority of user reviews are extremely negative.

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

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Microsoft releases emergency Windows patch after discovery of critical security flaw

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With the release of their newest operating system just days away, now is not the most convenient time for Microsoft to be facing and dealing with security bugs. However, two thirds of all 1.5 billion PCs operated by Windows across the globe were recently left vulnerable due to a security flaw found in nearly every version of Windows, including Windows 10 Insider Preview.

If you use Windows, the time to update is now!

If you use Windows, the time to update is now!

The flaw (MS15-078) lies within the Windows Adobe Type Manager Library and can be exploited by cybercriminals to hijack PCs and/or infect them with malware. Users can be attacked when they visit untrusted websites that contain malicious embedded OpenType fonts. Microsoft explains more about the threat in a security bulletin advisory:

An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

There are multiple ways an attacker could exploit this vulnerability, such as by convincing a user to open a specially crafted document, or by convincing a user to visit an untrusted webpage that contains embedded OpenType fonts. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Adobe Type Manager Library handles OpenType fonts.

The flaw has been classified as critical, which is Microsoft’s highest measured level of threat. Anyone running Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and 8.1, Server 2008, Server 2012 and Windows RT are affected by the flaw. Microsoft’s online Security TechCenter includes a full list of affected software and additional vulnerability information.

How to ensure your safety

Taking into consideration that this is a critical security threat that potentially puts your whole system at risk, it only makes sense to install the Windows patch as quickly as possible. The majority of customers have automatic updating enabled and won’t need to take any action because the update will be downloaded and installed automatically. Customers who have not enabled automatic updating, or who install updates manually, can use the links in the Affected Software section to download and install the update. This article walks users through two different methods of obtaining and installing the security udpate. Both methods require a restart after the patch has been applied.

Avast Software Updater can lend a helping hand in ensuring that your software stays updated to the latest version. To find it, simply open your Avast user interface. Click Scan on the left side, then choose Scan for outdated software. You can then decide how to proceed.

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

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Windows 10 security features consumers can look forward to

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Windows 10 will be launching in T-minus seven days and will be offered for free within its first year of availability to Windows 7 and 8 users. Not only will the beloved Start button be back in Windows 10, but Windows 10 will also include a personal assistant, Cortana. What’s more, the new operating system will introduce many promising security features and a new browser.

Image: TechRadar

Image: TechRadar

Hello there, Windows Hello and Passport!

Windows Hello is biometric authentication that either scans your face, iris or fingerprint to access your Windows 10 device – very secret agent-like security! By doing so, Windows Hello eliminates the chance of hackers stealing your password to access your device, simply because you will no longer have a password to begin with!

Windows Passport also eliminates the use of passwords to access your online accounts. For now, Microsoft will work with the Azure Active Directory and has joined the FIDO alliance to subsequently support password replacement for other consumer, financial and security services. Windows will verify that you are truly the one using your device through a PIN or via Windows Hello, and then it will authenticate Windows Passport so you can log in to websites and services without ever using a password. Combined use of Windows Hello and Windows Passport would mean that a hacker would not only have to physically steal your device, but also kidnap you to access your accounts.

You will, of course, need hardware that is capable of infrared scanning your face or iris, or that has a built-in fingerprint reader to use Windows Hello. Microsoft has already confirmed that all OEM systems with Intel® RealSense™ 3D Camera (F200) will support Windows Hello’s facial unlock features.

Bye-bye Patch Tuesday

Microsoft usually issues security patches on the second Tuesday of every month, which can leave users vulnerable until Patch Tuesday comes around. In Windows 10, Microsoft will regularly issue security patches and users will be forced to accept every update, meaning they will be immediately protected from zero-day bugs.

Forcing updates is a good move. It’s the same as with an antivirus – everyone wants to have an up-to-date database to protect their system as much as possible. – Jiri Sejtko, Director of Virus Lab Operations

More app developer security support

AMSI – Antimalware Scan Interface will help protect users from script-based malware by offering an interface standard that allows apps and services to integrate with antivirus programs on Windows 10 devices. App developers can have their application call the AMSI interface for additional scanning and analytical services. The interface will look for potentially malicious content such as obfuscation and evasion techniques used on Windows’ built-in scripting hosts. Antivirus vendors can implement support for AMSI so that their engine can gain deeper insight into the data that applications consider potentially malicious. Avast will be implementing AMSI in the near future.

Edge, the edgy new browser in town

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer doesn’t have the best reputation, which is probably why Microsoft is introducing the new Edge browser in Windows 10. Edge was created from the same core as Internet Explorer by removing many of the old outdated features that were kept for compatibility reasons, including support for binary extensions like Active X and Browser Helper Objects. Basically, Edge will not support any browser extensions in its initial release, but will add a Javascript/HTML model similar to that of Mozilla, Google, Apple and Opera later on to offer browser extensions. Flash will be built into the Edge browser as well as PDF rendering. Additionally, Edge will be deployed as a Universal Windows App, so users can update Edge from the Windows App Store rather than via Windows updates, and it will run in a sandbox, meaning it will have little to no access to the system and other apps running on your device.

Not supporting any extensions and running Edge inside Windows’ sandbox is very good from a security standpoint. Browser extensions can not only distract users, but they can slow down the browsing experience and can create a huge security risk if abused, as they can see everything you do within the browser, including on encrypted sites. – Lukas Rypacek, Director of Desktop Platform

Avast is already compatible with Windows 10

Avast has been compatible with Windows 10 since March.

No major changes were needed to make Avast compatible with Windows 10; we had to slightly change some components to make everything work as it should, but no changes were needed in terms of behavior and communication. What we are now doing is migrating users to the latest version of Avast to ensure a smooth Windows 10 upgrade. – Martin Zima, Senior Product Manager

Are you looking forward to Windows 10 and will you be upgrading? Let us know in the comments section :)

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Latest versions of Avast compatible with Windows 10

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Image via TechRadar

The future of Windows is just around the corner. (Image via TechRadar)

Earlier this week, Microsoft confirmed that the Windows 10 official launch date will be on July 29 and will be available as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users (for one year). This latest OS will be available to pre-order in the upcoming weeks when it launches in 190 different markets across the globe. In anticipation of Microsoft’s exciting new OS, this Techradar article takes a brief look at the operating system’s past:

With Windows 8 and today Windows 8.1, Microsoft tried – not entirely successfully – to deliver an operating system (OS) that could handle the needs of not only number-crunching workstations and high-end gaming rigs, but touch-controlled systems from all-in-one PCs for the family and thin-and-light notebooks down to slender tablets.

Now, Windows 10 has emerged as an operating system optimized for PCs, tablets and phones in unique ways – a truly innovative move from Microsoft’s side. Its big reveal is now quickly approaching, and tech enthusiasts everywhere are curious to see how this OS will measure up.

Will Avast be compatible with Windows 10?

In short, ensuring that Avast is compatible with Windows 10 is quite simple. Avast version V2015 R2 and newer are already compatible with Windows 10. Users who currently have V2015 R2 or newer installed and plan to update from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10 will automatically have Avast transferred to Windows 10 at the same time.

For users currently using older versions of Avast, we highly suggest updating your Avast product prior to updating to Windows 10 to ensure an easy, hassle-free transition.

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PCs require antivirus. Smartphones don’t. Right?

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Woman using smartphone

That smartphone means a lot to her. Protect it from hackers and thieves with Avast Mobile Security.

It’s very common to find people concerned about Windows viruses and malware that say, “Oh, my PC is protected by Avast Antivirus, but we don’t need it for our smartphones and tablets.”

With more than 230 million Avast Antivirus customers, we see “only” 60 million or so Android users of Avast Mobile Security. Many more mobile devices are sold every second than desktops and notebooks together. Why are people not as concerned about the security of their smartphone as their desktop?

The AV-Comparatives survey that we wrote about yesterday  in Avast Mobile Security is the #1 choice for Android users says that Android users in North America protect their phones more than anywhere else in the world with 31 percent of respondents reporting they have protection. South America, Asia, and Europe are much lower at 17 percent.

What about the rest of the Android users?

– Do you realize that mobile malware is increasing?

– Do you realize that you (most probably) have much more personal info in your smartphone than your PC? Like photos, selfies, contacts, videos, and also banking and financial information.

– What if one of your apps is using your personal info against you like the Dubsmash 2 app we just discovered?

Your Android device needs protection

Avast Mobile Security is a complete suite for Android protection. It is completely focused on security and privacy features.

Maybe you have a friend or your girlfriend that should be reading this… Take this opportunity to introduce them to Avast Mobile Security and teach them some tips about mobile security. Maybe we’ll see a better protected world if we reduce the number of unprotected devices and the cybercrooks have more work to steal from innocents. Download Avast Mobile Security for free on Google Play.

Earn free Avast Mobile Premium

In the latest update of Avast Mobile Security, we added a referral program, so you can recommend Avast Mobile Security to your friends and family. Not only can you recommend the best mobile security app available on Google Play, but you will be rewarded for doing so; you can earn up to three months of Avast Mobile Premium for free!

Here is how it works: For every five friends you send an SMS to recommending Avast, you get one free month of Avast Mobile Premium. Cool, huh?

Do your good action today: Tell someone you care about that smartphones and tablets need to have a security app installed and updated..

 

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When it comes to dangers on the internet, we are our own worst enemies

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Today’s biggest threat to the normal consumer is the consumer themselves.

This bold statement was made by Avast CEO Vincent Steckler in an interview with German technology website Valuetech in Munich last week. That’s a daring position to take after this year’s revelations about NSA spying, the theft of tens of millions of customer passwords from major retailers like Target and Home Depot, the recent Sony Pictures hack, and the normal parade of Trojan horses, worms and viruses, but it’s one that Steckler stands behind.

Watch the interview here (04:00),

Mr. Steckler has good reason for his conclusion. Here’s a few of the main points he made during the interview.

Social engineering preys on human weakness

“A lot of attacks are still using social engineering techniques; phishing emails – ways of convincing the user to give up valuable information,” said Steckler.

An example of phishing emails just occurred after Black Friday, when cybercrooks sent millions of fake purchase confirmation emails to customers of major retailers. You can read about that, as well as what to do if you are a victim,  in our blog, Fake confirmation emails from Walmart, Home Depot, others in circulation.

The Mac misconception

Mac users are well-known for proudly touting that they don’t use antivirus protection because they never have a problem with viruses. But, it’s really a numbers game.

“There is no fundamental difference,” Steckler says of the security of PCs and Macs. “Mac is not inherently any safer, as a technology, than Windows is. What makes a difference there is what is more opportune for a bad guy to attack.”

He explains that malware written for Windows can attack up to 93% of the world’s PCs. Mac malware only reaches 7-8% of the world’s PCs. The safety then lies in the lower numbers of Mac devices rather than a technical safety advantage.

Households networks are as complicated as small business networks

With the interconnectivity of household devices from household computers, mobile phones, TVs and even refrigerators, Steckler compares the typical household network to that of a small business.

“The central weakness in this ‘Internet of Things’ will be that home router – the thing that connects everything together,” says Steckler, “and basically doesn’t have any security on it.”

Avast 2015 seeks to address this lack in security by including the new Home Network Security scanner.