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When a user checks the status of definition updates, AVG Free Antivirus will display the date of the last update. Prompting an update does not change this setting. Recent updates are.
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Antivirus software is a class of program designed to prevent, detect and remove malware infections on individual computing devices, networks and IT systems.
Antivirus software, originally designed to detect and remove viruses from computers, can also protect against a wide variety of threats, including other types of malicious software, such as keyloggers, browser hijackers, Trojan horses, worms, rootkits, spyware, adware, botnets and ransomware.
How antivirus software works
Antivirus software typically runs as a background process, scanning computers, servers or mobile devices to detect and restrict the spread of malware. Many antivirus software programs include real-time threat detection and protection to guard against potential vulnerabilities as they happen, as well as system scans that monitor device and system files looking for possible risks.
Antivirus software usually performs these basic functions:
- Scanning directories or specific files for known malicious patterns indicating the presence of malicious software;
- Allowing users to schedule scans so they run automatically;
- Allowing users to initiate new scans at any time; and
- Removing any malicious software it detects. Some antivirus software programs do this automatically in the background, while others notify users of infections and ask them if they want to clean the files.
In order to scan systems comprehensively, antivirus software must generally be given privileged access to the entire system. This makes antivirus software itself a common target for attackers, and researchers have discovered remote code execution and other serious vulnerabilities in antivirus software products in recent years.
Types of antivirus programs
Antivirus software is distributed in a number of forms, including stand-alone antivirus scanners and internet security suites that offer antivirus protection, along with firewalls, privacy controls and other security protections.
Some antivirus software vendors offer basic versions of their products at no charge. These free versions generally offer basic antivirus and spyware protection, but more advanced features and protections are usually available only to paying customers.
While some operating systems are targeted more frequently by virus developers, antivirus software is available for most OSes:
- Windows antivirus software. Most antivirus software vendors offer several levels of Windows products at different price points, starting with free versions offering only basic protection. Users must start scans and updates manually and typically free versions of antivirus software won't protect against links to malicious websites or malicious attachments in emails. Premium versions of antivirus software often include suites of endpoint security tools that may provide secure online storage, ad blockers and file encryption. Since 2004, Microsoft has been offering some kind of free antivirus software as part of the Windows operating system itself, generally under the name Windows Defender, though the software was mostly limited to detecting spyware prior to 2006.
- macOS antivirus software. Although macOS viruses exist, they're less common than Windows viruses, so antivirus products for macOS are less standardized than those for Windows. There are a number of free and paid products available, providing on-demand tools to protect against potential malware threats through full-system malware scans and the ability to sift through specific email threads, attachments and various web activities.
- Android antivirus software. Android is the world's most popular mobile operating system and is installed on more mobile devices than any other OS. Because most mobile malware targets Android, experts recommend all Android device users install antivirus software on their devices. Vendors offer a variety of basic free and paid premium versions of their Android antivirus software including anti-theft and remote-locating features. Some run automatic scans and actively try to stop malicious web pages and files from being opened or downloaded.
Virus detection techniques
![Difference between virus and antivirus Difference between virus and antivirus](/uploads/1/2/6/3/126370503/332042016.png)
Antivirus software uses a variety of virus detection techniques.
Originally, antivirus software depended on signature-based detection to flag malicious software. Antivirus programs depend on stored virus signatures -- unique strings of data that are characteristic of known malware. The antivirus software uses these signatures to identify when it encounters viruses that have already been identified and analyzed by security experts.
Signature-based malware cannot detect new malware, including variants of existing malware. Signature-based detection can only detect new viruses when the definition file is updated with information about the new virus. With the number of new malware signatures increasing at around 10 million per year as long ago as 2011, modern signature databases may contain hundreds of millions, or even billions, of entries, making antivirus software based solely on signatures impractical. However, signature-based detection does not usually produce false positive matches.
Heuristic-based detection uses an algorithm to compare the signatures of known viruses against potential threats. With heuristic-based detection, antivirus software can detect viruses that haven't been discovered yet, as well as already existing viruses that have been disguised or modified and released as new viruses. However, this method can also generate false-positive matches when antivirus software detects a program behaving similarly to a malicious program and incorrectly identifies it as a virus.
Antivirus software may also use behavior-based detection to analyze an object's behavior or potential behavior for suspicious activities and infers malicious intent based on those observations. For example, code that attempts to perform unauthorized or abnormal actions would indicate the object is malicious, or at least suspicious. Some examples of behaviors that potentially signal danger include modifying or deleting large numbers of files, monitoring keystrokes, changing settings of other programs and remotely connecting to computers.
Continue Reading About antivirus software (antivirus program)
Related Terms
- botnet
- A botnet is a collection of internet-connected devices, which may include PCs, servers, mobile devices and internet of things ... See complete definition
- computer worm
- A computer worm is a type of malicious software program whose primary function is to infect other computers while remaining ... See complete definition
- spyware
- Spyware is a type of malicious software -- or malware -- that is installed on a computing device without the end user's knowledge. See complete definition
Dig Deeper on Malware, virus, Trojan and spyware protection and removal
- Margaret Rouse asks:
What is your long-term strategy for managing antivirus software deployment?
- Why the Citrix-Microsoft Relationship Will Enhance Digital Workspace Solutions ...–Citrix
- Improve Datacentre Performance by Closing the Gaps in Memory and Storage ...–Intel
Vendor Resources
- Evolve your Endpoint Security Strategy Past Antivirus and into the Cloud–SearchSecurity.com
- Overcoming APT and Today’s Sophisticated Malware–SearchSecurity.com
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Developer(s) | AVG Technologies |
---|---|
Stable release |
19.3.3084 (March 11, 2019; 10 months ago[1])
|
Operating system | Windows XP and later, macOS, Android |
Type | Antivirus software |
License | Freemium |
Website | www.avg.com |
AVG AntiVirus (previously known as AVG, an abbreviation of Anti-Virus Guard) is a family of antivirus software developed by AVG Technologies, a subsidiary of Avast.[3][4] It is available for Windows, macOS and Android.
- 3Features
- 3.1LinkScanner
History
The brand AVG comes from Grisoft's first product, 'Anti-Virus Guard', launched in 1992 in the Czech Republic. In 1997, the first AVG licenses were sold in Germany and the UK. AVG was introduced in the U.S. in 1998.[5]
The AVG Free Edition helped raise awareness of the AVG product line.[6] In 2006, the AVG security package grew to include anti-spyware, as AVG Technologies acquired ewido Networks, an anti-spyware group. AVG Technologies acquired Exploit Prevention Labs (XPL) in December 2007, and incorporated that company's LinkScanner safe search and surf technology into the AVG 8.0 security product range released in March 2008. In January 2009, AVG Technologies acquired Sana Security, a developer of identity theft prevention software. This software was incorporated into the AVG security product range in March 2009.
According to AVG Technologies, the company has more than 200 million active users worldwide, including more than 100 million who use their products and services on mobile devices.[7]
On 7 July 2016, Avast announced an agreement to acquire AVG for $1.3 billion.[8]
Platform support
AVG provides AVG AntiVirus Free for Windows, AVG AntiVirus for Mac for macOS, and AVG AntiVirus for Android for Android devices. All are freemium products: They are free to download, install, update and use, but for technical support, a premium plan must be purchased.
AVG stopped providing new features for Windows XP and Windows Vista in January 2019. New versions require Windows 7 or later; virus definitions are still provided for previous versions.[9]
Features
AVG features most of the common functions available in modern antivirus and Internet security programs, including periodic scans, scans of sent and received emails (including adding footers to the emails indicating this), the ability to repair some virus-infected files, and a quarantine area (virus vault) in which infected files are held.
LinkScanner
The patent pending LinkScanner technology acquired from Exploit Prevention Labs and built into most AVG products, provides real-time updated protection against exploits and drive-by downloads. LinkScanner includes: Search-Shield – a safe search component that places safety ratings next to each link in Google, Yahoo! and MSN search results; plus Active Surf-Shield – a safe surf component that scans the contents of a web site in real-time to ensure it's safe being opened.[10] Concerns regarding web analytics have made LinkScanner a controversial component (see below 'LinkScanner Concerns').
LinkScanner Concerns
When AVG 8.0 was first released, its LinkScanner safe search feature was shown to cause an increase in traffic on web sites that appear high in search engine results pages. Since LinkScanner disguises the scans as coming from an Internet Explorer 6 browser when it prescans each site listed in the search results, web site usage logs showed incorrect and overinflated site visitor statistics. The prescanning of every link in search results also caused web sites to transfer more data than usual, resulting in higher bandwidth usage for web site operators and slow performance for users.[11] AVG initially said site administrators would be able to filter the LinkScanner traffic out of their site statistics, leaving the problem of excess bandwidth usage still to be solved.[12] Pay-per-click advertising was not affected by the increase in traffic.[13]
AVG Online Shield
AVG Online Shield is a feature, designed to check files and ensure that they are safe. AVG Online Shield also ensures the safety of exchanging files via instant messengers and VoIP clients.[14]
In response to complaints, AVG announced that as of 9 July 2008 'Search-Shield will no longer scan each search result online for new exploits, which was causing the spikes that webmasters addressed with us',[15] releasing a new build on that date that applies a local blacklist, then prefetches and scans only those links clicked on by the user.[16]
Controversy
As of 2014, there are numerous reports dating back to 2012 that the AVG SafeGuard Toolbar installs itself without the consent of the user, as a side effect of installing other applications. The toolbar program appears to cause significant RAM issues and can be considered an intrusive potentially unwanted program (PUP). Once installed, the AVG toolbar is virtually impossible to remove. The toolbar uninstaller does not function, instead re-installing the add-on if manually removed. Consequently, many discussions and blog posts have described complex procedures for removal of the AVG toolbar, each with very mixed results.[17][18][19][20][21][22]
In September 2015, AVG announced that it would start tracking users for profit, analyzing their data for sale to the advertising industry. This measure received criticism from consumers, the press and security industry, as many users intended to use the software in order to protect themselves from spyware and would not expect the functions of spyware to be 'hidden' in security software.[23]
In December 2015, the 'AVG Web TuneUp' GoogleChrome extension (automatically installed with AVG AntiVirus) was revealed to contain multiple critical security vulnerabilities.[24] Most notably, Chrome users' browsing history could be exposed to any website, cookies from any site the user has visited could be read by an attacker, and trivial cross-site scripting (XSS) issues could allow any website to execute arbitrary code (as another domain).
The XSS vulnerability allowed a user's mail from 'mail.google.com' to be read by any website, or financial information to be read from the user's online banking site. The AVG team fixed this by only allowing 'mysearch.avg.com' and 'webtuneup.avg.com' to execute these scripts. Despite this remediation, attackers could leverage any of these attacks if an XSS vulnerability was found on the AVG sites. As of April 2016, Web TuneUp was still not available for download from the AVG website.
Reception
AVG Antivirus Free 2012 was selected as PC Magazine Editors' Choice in the free antivirus category.[25] AVG AntiVirus Free 2015 received the Editor Choice badge of SoftChamp.[26]
See also
References
- ^'AVG Antivirus Free'. web site. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^'AVG AntiVirus 2019 for Android Security FREE'. Google Play Store. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- ^'Avast Closes Acquisition of AVG Technologies'. Business Wire. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ^'FREE 2016: Developer: Avast Software s.r.o.'Google Play. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ^'AVG Technologies Celebrates 15 Years of Internet Security Success'. Avg.com. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^'GRISOFT viert 15 jaar van successen met internetbeveiliging | AVG Nederland'. Avg.com. 5 December 2006. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^'AVG Surpasses 200 Million Users Worldwide'. Now.avg.com. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
- ^https://press.avast.com/avast-announces-agreement-to-acquire-avg-for-13b
- ^'AVG ends support for Windows XP & Windows Vista'. AVG Blogs. AVG Technologies. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^'Veelgestelde vragen | AVG Nederland'. Avg.com. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^'AVG Disguises Fake Traffic As IE6'. Theregister.co.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^'AVG update disguises LinkScanner traffic as IE6'. Techspot.com. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^'LinkScanner could be behind surge in web traffic'. virusbulletin.com. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- ^'AVG security features'. AVG.com. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
- ^'AVG Responds to Fake Traffic Spikes'. Networkinstruments.wordpress.com. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^'Grisoft modifies its free AVG product after complaints'. News.cnet.com. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^''AVG Secure Search' is obviously a kind of malware that attaches itself to FF. Is Mozilla working on killing it?'. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^'AVG Toolbar & Secure Search: How do I remove it from my browser & PC?'. ReviverSoft Blog. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^'How to remove Nation Toolbar — Search.nation.com redirect (Removal) - Tech & Internet Security — News & Guides'. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^'How to Remove AVG SafeGuard Toolbar and AVG Secure Search'. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^Completely Remove AVG safeguard toolbar
- ^Emil Protalinski. 'AVG Security Toolbar is the worst foistware I've ever seen'. ZDNet. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^Beuth, Patrick. 'Antivirensoftware benimmt sich künftig wie Spyware'. ZEIT ONLINE. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^'Issue 675: AVG: 'Web TuneUP' extension multiple critical vulnerabilities'. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ^Rubenking, Neil J. 'AVG Anti-Virus Free 2012 Review & Rating'. PCMag.com. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^'Download AVG AntiVirus Free'. SoftChamp.com. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
External links
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=AVG_AntiVirus&oldid=915624270'