Avast Antivirus offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to protect your devices from various cyber threats. Here’s an overview of its key features:
Core Shields:
- File Shield: Scans files on your computer for malware.
- Web Shield: Blocks unsafe downloads and web attacks.
- Email Shield: Scans email attachments for malware.
- Real Site: Protects against DNS hijacking to ensure you access legitimate websites (Security.org) (www.top10.com).
Scans:
- Smart Scan: A quick scan targeting common areas where malware hides.
- Full Virus Scan: Comprehensive scan of your entire system.
- Boot-Time Scan: Scans your device before the OS loads to catch deeply embedded malware.
- Custom Scans: Allows scheduling and targeting specific areas of your system (Techopedia) (www.top10.com).
Advanced Protection:
- Ransomware Shield: Protects sensitive files from being encrypted by ransomware.
- Sandbox: Safely tests suspicious files in an isolated environment.
- Wi-Fi Inspector: Scans your network for vulnerabilities and unauthorized devices (Security.org) (Techopedia).
Additional Tools:
- VPN: Offers encrypted browsing to protect your online privacy and access geo-restricted content.
- Secure Browser: Blocks malicious websites and third-party trackers, includes a “Bank Mode” for secure online transactions.
- Password Manager: Helps create and store strong passwords securely.
- Disk Cleaner: Removes junk files and optimizes system performance (www.top10.com) (Avast Support).
Premium Features:
- Real-Time Protection: Constantly monitors for suspicious activities and threats.
- Webcam Protection: Prevents unauthorized access to your webcam.
- Data Shredder: Securely deletes sensitive files to prevent recovery.
- Firewall: Enhanced firewall capabilities to block unauthorized access to your network and data (Techopedia) (Avast Support).
Avast offers both free and premium versions. The free version provides basic protection, while premium plans add advanced features and multi-device support. Premium plans include options like Avast Premium Security, Avast Ultimate, and Avast One, each with varying levels of additional tools and coverage (Techopedia) (www.top10.com) (Avast Support).