Avast Free Antivirus 2016 Review | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Avast Free Antivirus has some concerns with its marketing strategies and potential data collection, but its detection rate for malware is high.

Key Insights

• 👤 Avast Free Antivirus has concerns with its marketing strategies, as some users find them suggestive and deceptive.
• 🤨 The data collection feature of Avast raises concerns about privacy and transparency.
• ☠️ Avast Free Antivirus has a high detection rate for malware, reaching 96% in a test with 500 samples.

Transcript

it is 2016 and it's finally time to take another look at this massively popular free antivirus product from avast now I know a lot of you guys have been requesting me to take a look at their premium security suite that is Avast premier but I decided to start with the free antivirus because this is what most people are using and I have been recommen... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the concerns with Avast's marketing strategies?

Some users have raised concerns about Avast's banners, which can be seen as suggestive and deceptive. The banners claim that users' computers may be slow or have issues, but clicking on them only leads to a purchase window for other products.

Q: Is there a concern about data collection with Avast Free Antivirus?

Yes, during installation, Avast informs users that their data will be collected and shared with third parties, with no option to opt out. This raises concerns about what data is collected and when, as well as the lack of transparency in the process.

Q: How does Avast Free Antivirus perform in terms of malware detection?

In a test with 500 malware samples, Avast Free Antivirus achieved a detection rate of 96%, which is considered high. This shows that the antivirus program is effective in detecting and preventing malware infections.

Q: Are there any concerns about Avast's zero-day protection?

The test results indicated that Avast may have some room for improvement in its zero-day protection. Despite having features like HIPS and heuristics, some malware samples were able to bypass detection and infect the system.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Avast Free Antivirus has been a popular choice for users, but there are concerns with its marketing strategies and potential data collection.

• The antivirus program displays banners that can be seen as suggestive and deceptive, leading users to purchase other products.

• There are also concerns about the data collection feature, which cannot be opted out of during installation.

• In terms of malware detection, Avast Free Antivirus has a high rate of detection, reaching 96% in a test with 500 malware samples.