Staying safe easier than ever

Security used to be a straightforward matter. E-mail was the primary attack vector and simply installing an anti-virus product and exercising caution when opening attachments mitigated the majority of threats. When a system did become infected, the consequences were not usually particularly dire; inconvenience and data loss were the most likely consequences.

But times have changed. The Web has become the attack vector of choice and today's threats are rapidly evolving, stealthy and almost always motivated by profit. AVG has stayed ahead of these evolutions, providing proactive, preventive protection from threats.

The 2011 version of AVG's product range provides an even higher level of real-time protection against today's most sophisticated threats. “AVG Anti-Virus 2011 includes automatic updates, is more intuitive to use than ever and it won't get in your way,” says Simon Campbell-Young, CEO of distribution house Phoenix Software, local representative of AVG.

“AVG has streamlined its range to make it easier for our customers to decide which product is best for them by removing AV plus Firewall and Identity Protection, leaving them with a simpler choice between AVG Free, Anti-Virus and Internet Security.”

Since 99% of today's threats are Web-based and live on legitimate Web sites for less than 24 hours, real-time analysis and detection is critical. AVG has always been at the forefront of protection, but the 2011 range of security software will ensure that users will be protected from all threats at all times.

New features in the 2011 products include AVG Community Protection Network, which provides users with access to the latest threat information from around the world, as well as Protective Cloud Technology, which constantly carries out tests 'in the cloud' to identify the latest emerging threats. AVG uses this technology to develop solutions and update the product on your computer in near real-time, providing users with the most up-to-date protection.

“AVG's proactive, preventative protection has been enhanced with these new features in addition to the existing best-of-breed technology. Users can download, share files and chat safely, and can even relax when using social networking sites. AVG Social Networking Protection is new and is unique to AVG, with links exchanged within Facebook and MySpace being automatically checked in real time,” says Campbell-Young.

Another new feature is Smart Scanning. Scans run in high-priority mode when you are away from your computer and switch to low-priority mode when you return. In addition, the AVG Firewall has been enhanced in 2011 and provides a core layer of protection against malicious attacks and hackers. The AVG Firewall immediately blocks all unauthorised inbound or outbound attempts to access or distribute your personal information. It also now includes smart intrusion prevention to keep your home network even more secure.

AVG Antispam within Internet Security 2011 marks all unwanted e-mails as spam, protecting users from online scams and keeping their inboxes clutter-free. AVG 2011 also supports Microsoft Outlook 2010, which includes a spam toolbar to help manage the inbox.

“AVG's technology detects and deactivates any suspicious activity on your PC before it can cause damage. In addition, it all happens in the background, in real-time, and with minimal impact on system performance,” Campbell-Young adds.