Avast Free Antivirus For Mac Vs Ransomware

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Avast Security Pro (for Mac) adds ransomware protection and Wi-Fi intruder detection to the features found in Avast's free antivirus, but these additions don't merit its high price. Avast Free Mac Security is the most downloaded antivirus for Mac with more than 4.5 million downloads Also, the user reviews on Download.com are very positive. Avast Free Mac Security 2018 has 4.5 stars (out of 5) from 1,641users.

  1. Download Avast Free Antivirus 2018 – Avast Free Antivirus 2018 is a great antivirus software that can protect your PC to another level. This software from Europe is already available in 45 languages. The antivirus has some great features which can you use to protect your PC from threats.
  2. Ransomware is a type of malicious software from cryptovirology that threatens to publish the victim's data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid. While some simple ransomware may lock the system in a way which is not difficult for a knowledgeable person to reverse, more advanced malware uses a technique called cryptoviral extortion, in which it encrypts the victim's files.
  3. Testing and reviewing Eset vs Avast took time, but we believe in being thorough in our entire approach in revealing which antivirus program is better in our comparison guides. We also reviewed AVG vs McAfee, which you can read about here.
  4. Avast AntiVirus VS AVG AntiVirus. Article will provide you an evaluation of ones of the most popular and widely used antivirus software in the market Avast AntiVirus Free and AVG AntiVirus Free. In 2006 AVG Technologies became a subsidiary of Avast Software. AVG also offers security for Mac and Android devices.
$59.99
  • Pros

    Certified by one independent testing lab. Speedy full scan. Excellent phishing protection for Chrome and Firefox. Useful bonus features. Ransomware protection. Wi-Fi intruder detection.

  • Cons

    Doesn't add much to free edition's features. Expensive. Poor phishing protection for Safari. Password manager includes only basic features.

  • Bottom Line

    Avast Security Pro (for Mac) adds ransomware protection and Wi-Fi intruder detection to the features found in Avast's free antivirus, but these additions don't merit its high price.

The myth that Macs can't suffer viruses, Trojans, or other types of malware attack is busted. Oh, the situation isn't nearly as bad as on Windows or Android, but Macs really do need antivirus protection. There are free options available, including Avast Security (for Mac), but commercial antivirus utilities offer more features and do better in testing. Looking at what this product adds beyond the features in the free edition, it's really hard to justify the price.

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This product's main window looks exactly like that of the free edition, except for the absence of the upgrade offer. Plenty of white space surrounds a simple security status indicator. The left-rail menu is also the same as in the free edition. The difference is that clicking Ransomware Shield or Wi-Fi Inspector brings up the component, rather than displaying an upgrade invitation. The look is very different from that of Avast Pro Antivirus, which uses a dark gray background with occasional elements in purple and green.

Pricing and OS Support

Like Bitdefender and Kaspersky, Avast supports macOS versions back to 10.9 (Mavericks). If you have an antique Mac that for some reason can't even run Mavericks, consider ESET, ProtectWorks, or ClamXav—all of which support versions of macOS from 10.6 (Snow Leopard) on. At the other end of the spectrum, Avira, Trend Micro, and Symantec Norton Security Deluxe (for Mac) require macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) or better.

The most common pricing plan for Mac antivirus runs $39.99 per year for one license or $59.99 for three. Bitdefender, ESET Cyber Security (for Mac), Kaspersky, and Malwarebytes all fit this profile. Price-wise, Avast is on the high end, at $59.99 per year or $69.99 for three licenses. That's expensive, considering that the free edition has all the same features except for Ransomware Shield and Wi-Fi Inspector, which I'll detail below.

Shared Features

This utility shares all the features of the free Avast Security (for Mac), and that's saying a lot. I'll briefly summarize those shared features here, and you can should read my review of the free product for more details.

AV-Comparatives certified Avast's Mac malware protection as effective. In testing, it protected against 99.9 percent of Mac malware and 100 percent of Windows malware. AV-Test Institute, the other major lab that tests Mac antivirus, did not include Avast in testing. Note, though, that Bitdefender and Kaspersky earned 100 percent in both tests, and received certification from both labs.

I don't have the same kind of resources for antivirus testing under macOS as I do for Windows. I did try scanning a folder containing my current collection of Windows malware. Avast detected and quarantined 85 percent of the samples, which is quite good. Only Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus (for Mac), with 86 percent, and Sophos, with 100 percent, have done better. At the low end, McAfee caught 25 percent and Intego just 18 percent.

Avast's full scan finished in 14.5 minutes, which is quite a bit faster than the current average of 24 minutes. The impressive Home Network Security Scanner took less than three minutes to take note of all devices on my network. It found 36 devices and flagged legitimate security problems on two of them.

Phishing websites masquerade as secure sites in the hopes of fooling you into giving away your login credentials. It doesn't matter which browser you use, or which operating system. Avast's scores in my hands-on phishing protection test were extremely poor. The phishing protection systems built into Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer all outperformed Avast, by a long shot.

I learned from my company contacts that phishing protection is fully functional in Chrome and Firefox, but only partly in Safari. The developers are working up a browser-independent version. In a new test using Chrome, Avast scored better than any Mac product except Bitdefender. It tied with Norton and beat out all three browsers. If you're relying on Avast for phishing protection, make sure you use Chrome or Firefox.

The Online Security browser extension marks up search results to flag dangerous links. It also displays a list of all ad trackers and other trackers on the current page, with an option to actively block these. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac includes a similar active Do Not Track feature.

Avast comes with a basic password manager that installs as a separate application. It handles basic functions like password capture and replay, saving secure notes, and generating strong passwords. The app stores passwords locally, but you can set up syncing between all your macOS, iOS, Windows, and Android devices. However, you won't find any advanced features like secure password sharing, two-factor authentication, or password inheritance.

Ransomware Shield

Everything I've described to this point is also available in the free edition. The premium-only Ransomware Shield component simply prevents unauthorized access to files in sensitive folders. By default, it protects the Documents and Pictures folders for the current user. Naturally, you can add other folders if needed. A similar feature in Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac also protects your Time Machine backups.

To test this kind of access control on Windows, I use a small text editor that I wrote myself, something that would never show up on a list of trusted applications. I don't have such a program for macOS, so I had to disable the feature that automatically trusts Apple and App Store applications.

Operation is very simple. When an untrusted program tries to modify a protected app, Avast pops up a warning. If you've just installed and launched a new photo editor, click Allow. If you don't recognize the program, click Block. Note that clicking Allow only makes the program trusted temporarily. To ensure that new photo editor doesn't get blocked, you must manually add it to the list of Allowed Apps.

This type of access control is an effective tool for ransomware protection, one used by many security tools both on Windows and macOS. However, it does require vigilance on your part. When you see the Ransomware Shield popup, examine it carefully, and only click Allow if you're absolutely sure the program is legitimate.

Wi-Fi Inspector

As noted, you get the Home Network Security Scan even in the free edition. The premium edition adds a component called Wi-Fi Inspector. Despite the name, the main function of this component is to alert you when new devices join the network. It maintains its own simple list of devices. If you click Deep Scan, it launches the Home Network Security Scan.

Wi-Fi Inspector's device list doesn't identify security issues the way the security scan does. On the plus side, it lists the MAC address and IP address for each device, along with the name. For many devices, the name is a clear identification, like neils-ipad or all-in-one-pc, but some come out with names like unknown6542990b6483. If you have basic network skills, you can use those addresses to figure out which device corresponds to a weird name. Bitdefender Home Scanner (a Windows utility) lets you edit such entries to give them a friendly name, and even remembers the name on subsequent scans. With Avast, you'll just have to keep a list of which device matches which weird name.

I did encounter a serious problem with the device list. It found 36 devices on my network, but I couldn't scroll down to see more than the first bunch of devices. My Avast contact confirmed this as a bug. It's not such a big problem, as you can see all your connected devices in network scanner.

The real point of Wi-Fi Inspector is to alert you when a new device connects. Just after installation, you'll probably see quite a few of these, as devices that were turned off during the initial scan wake up. Once you get past that shakeout period, you should pay close attention to the new-device notifications. If you don't recognize the device, it could be a neighbor mooching your Wi-Fi, or even a hack attempt.

If you determine that the new connection isn't legitimate, there's not a lot you can do about it. Wi-Fi Inspector offers notification, but no direct way to act on that information. Your best bet is to snap a screenshot of the notification and then find a friend who's a network whiz. Your buddy can use the info from the screenshot to log into your router's settings and ban the device from the network.

Doesn't Add Enough

Avast Security Pro offers certified Mac malware protection, a network security scanner, and a password manager, but those features also come with the free Avast Security. The Pro edition adds ransomware protection that works by banning untrusted applications from modifying your files. It also adds real-time notification of new connections to your network, but offers no way to do anything if you determine the new connection is perfidious. That's not much for $59.99 per year. The only reason to buy this product is if you want to protect your Macs in a business setting, but in that case, you can get better protection for less.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac has certification from two labs, excellent phishing protection, an anti-ransomware feature much like Avast's, and more. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac also has two certifications, and it comes with a full parental control system, excellent anti-phishing, protection against webcam peepers, and more. These are our Editors' Choice products for macOS antivirus, and they both costs $20 less than Avast.

Bottom Line: Avast Security Pro (for Mac) adds ransomware protection and Wi-Fi intruder detection to the features found in Avast's free antivirus, but these additions don't merit its high price.

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Founded in 1988, Avast Software has grown into an antivirus giant which claims to be number one in the consumer security market, with more than 435 million monthly active users worldwide.

Avast Free Antivirus is a capable tool which provides all the core antivirus essentials for Windows, Android and Mac. Real-time detection picks up known threats as they appear, web filtering blocks access to dangerous links, and unknown files are analyzed in the cloud to spot the very latest malware. And even if all that fails, Avast's behavior monitoring can detect and alert you to any process carrying out malware-like actions.

The latest edition aims to improve ease of use with a revamped interface. The Behavior Shield keeps an eye on your apps to detect dangerous activities, and Game Mode has transformed into Do Not Disturb Mode, which blocks popups and other interruptions when you're using full-screen applications.

  • Want to try Avast Free Antivirus? Check out the website here

Unlike some of the competition, the package doesn't have any major hidden restrictions or limits designed to make you upgrade. There are no third-party ads, it doesn't have fewer antivirus updates or do anything else to weaken your security.

With all this power, it's hardly surprising that Avast Free Antivirus rates highly with the independent testing labs. And we do mean 'highly' - in February 2019, AV-Comparatives made it their Product of the Year (more on that, later).

What is Ransomware Shield? Ransomware Shield, available in Avast Security Pro, secures your personal photos, documents, and files from being modified, deleted, or encrypted by ransomware attacks. This feature automatically secures your Pictures and Documents folders and allows you to specify which other folders you want to protect from untrusted applications. Avast security pro for mac includes.

If you need more power at a later date, Avast Internet Security adds plenty of valuable security layers: a firewall, spam filter, extra ransomware protection, a secure DNS system and a sandbox to more safely run suspect apps.

Avast Internet Security is yours from $59.99 a year for a one computer, one-year license. That's not cheap, but there are discounts for adding PCs and extending the license term. For example, a five PC, three-year license is $295, or $19.66 per device per year.

Setup

Avast Free Antivirus has been around for so long that the website doesn't need to spend an age trying to tell you how brilliant it is. You can scroll down a read a fair amount of information, if you like, but the opening screen gives you little more than a caption and a Download button. Most people will be downloading the setup file in a couple of clicks.

If you're tired of bloated antivirus packages installing pointless extras, you'll love the control you get with Avast products. Choose the Custom Installation option and you're able to browse 13 separate Avast modules and apps to decide what you want to install, and what you really don't. Don't want the SafePrice browser extension (Avast's price comparison system), for instance? Clear the installer checkbox and it's gone. This is a helpful and user-focused approach which we'd love to see adopted by other vendors.

Some antivirus installers demand that you remove competing products, but Avast offers a little more flexibility. If it detects another antivirus package on your PC it will install itself in Passive Mode, essentially turning off real-time protection but still allowing you to run scans and use other program features. This works well, in our experience, but if you're happy to risk antivirus conflicts, you can turn off Passive Mode and see if your antivirus apps will work together.

After the main package is installed, Avast prompted us to set up its Secure Browser, a hardened version of Chromium. By default, this imports all the key data from your default browser (bookmarks, history, passwords, settings and more) and sets Secure Browser as your new default, which may well not be what you want. But Avast does allow you to configure exactly how this works (to import data, but not set up Secure Browser as your default, say), or you can skip the step entirely and leave it for later.

Competing software aside, there were no other installation hassles. In particular, we didn't have to register, create an account or follow any of the other made-up procedures companies typically use as an excuse to get your details. The closest the installer got was an offer to send us a download link for the Android client if we handed over our email address, but this was clearly optional, and we ignored it without any problems at all.

Features

Avast Free Antivirus has a lot of features – more than some commercial products – but it does its best to keep them out of your way, at least initially. At a minimum you can just launch the app, click Smart Scan and watch as it automatically checks your PC for malware, missing software patches, dubious browser extensions and more.

Despite all this work, scan times were relatively speedy for us at 30-60 seconds. Previously you could speed up scans even further by customizing the Smart Scan to turn off particular checks, such as the Performance Scan, which by default Avast Free can't fix anyway (try, and you're prompted to install Avast Cleanup Premium). Unfortunately, the Smart Scan doesn't seem to be configurable any more.

Another option is to head off to the Virus Scans dialog, where Avast provides options to scan specific folders or drives, your entire system, or to run a scan at the next reboot, before Windows starts.

A separate Rescue Disk option enables producing a bootable version of Avast on a CD or a USB flash drive.

Experts can also set up and schedule multiple custom scan types which carry out the precise actions the user defines. You're able to choose the areas to scan and exclude, file types to check, archive formats to expand, actions to perform, and more. That's a big improvement on most antivirus packages, which often allow only a single custom scan and force you to manually decide its actions each time.

You can schedule these tasks to run automatically, too, so you could perhaps set up a full check to run every day, with speedy and more basic scans running every few hours. Anyone who likes to fine-tune their security will appreciate the control on offer.

Avast's web filtering abilities are mostly handled by its browser extensions. The Chrome add-on quickly highlighted dangerous links in our search results, but we noticed that it didn't have any ratings for a surprising number of popular sites. Kaspersky.co.uk, Bitdefender.co.uk, Checkpoint.com and Bullguard.co.uk were just some of the sites which had a 'no rating' icon rather than 'safe', for instance.

If the system has no information on domains like these, we suspect it's probably going to miss a lot of more suspect URLs. Still, even if you do visit a malicious site, Avast Free Antivirus will scan any downloads or executed files, and should catch a threat before it can do any damage.

Bonus features start with Avast's excellent Wi-Fi Inspector. This powerful tool scans your local network and reports on any connected devices and their types, which is handy to see who else might be using your Wi-Fi. Each device is checked for security issues such as weak passwords and poorly configured network settings, with Wi-Fi Inspector highlighting any problems and recommending what to do next.

A simple password manager supports Chrome and Firefox, and can save new logins and automatically log you back into those sites whenever you return. It can't compete with high-end password tools like Dashlane, but it covers the basics, and can sync your logins with other devices (Windows, Android and Mac.)

Software Updater is a simple but effective module which scans commonly exploited software for missing updates, and offers to download and install them for you. Supported applications include Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Java, Flash, Adobe Reader and Adobe Air, and we found Software Updater was able to download and silently install any required updates with a click.

Avast Free Antivirus For Mac Vs Ransom Ware Protection

Do Not Disturb Mode (the new name for Game Mode) now blocks notifications from Windows and other apps, as well as Avast's own, while you're using specified full-screen applications. It worked as advertised in our tests.

While there's plenty of free functionality here, Avast spends a lot of time trying to persuade you to install and use other products. The Smart Scan checks for performance issues that can't be fully addressed unless you buy Avast's Cleanup. Premium features (Firewall, Sandbox, Ransomware Shield) are displayed with a 'locked' icon to remind you that they're not available in the free build.

Other icons prompt you to install something else (SecureLine VPN) or won't do anything useful until you hand over some cash (AntiTrack Premium). It's hard to blame Avast - you're getting a great product for free, and they must fund this somehow - but if you're not keen on upselling, this could get annoying after a while.

If you have any other problems with how Avast Free Antivirus works, heading off to the Settings dialog reveals a wide range of options and tweaks. These include the ability to turn off irritating audio alerts; exclude specific files, folders and URLs from scanning; configure precisely how each scan type works (how sensitive it is, the resources to allocate, how to handle any threats), plus you can password-protect areas of Avast to prevent others tinkering with your settings. And if the program is seriously misbehaving, it’s possible to restore factory defaults to bring Avast back to a known working state.

Beginners can probably ignore almost all of this, but if you know what you're doing, Avast provides many ways to optimize its speed and security.

Protection

The huge popularity of Avast Free Antivirus means it's included by default in just about every testing lab report, which is very useful when you're trying to assess how accurate it might be.

Avast For Mac

AV-Test's December 2018 Home User report shows Avast doing very well, blocking 100% of sample threats in both months and raising only one false alarm in more than 1,500,000 samples (the industry average is five.)

The report suggests it may slow down some actions more than usual, but not by enough that you're likely to notice any difference.

Avast Free Antivirus does even better at AV-Comparatives, who was so impressed it made the package Product of the Year 2018. Although Avast Free didn't quite top every test, AV-Comparatives highlighted its consistency, saying 'It received an Advanced+ Award in every test this year. It also takes the Gold Award for the Malware Protection Test, Silver for Malware Removal, and Bronze for the Performance Test.'

Avast Free Antivirus For Mac Vs Ransom Ware Attack

SE Labs uses its own custom scoring system, and the October/ December 2018 report gives Avast a relatively disappointing placing of tenth out of 14.

Free Antivirus For Mac Downloads

Each lab has its own testing procedure and there are always variations in results, but the broad picture is clear. Avast Free Antivirus may not quite match the market leaders, but we think it delivers quality protection that effortlessly outperforms many commercial products.

Final verdict

Avast Free Antivirus For Mac

A powerful antivirus which offers solid all-round protection. Experienced users will appreciate its lengthy feature list and the fine control they get over how the package works.

Avast Pro Antivirus Download

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