Avast
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Avast Software s.r.o. is a Czech multinational cybersecurity software company headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, that researches and develops computer security software, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Avast had more than 435 million monthly active users<ref name="avastataglance"/> and the second largest market share among anti-malware application vendors worldwide as of April 2020.<ref name="Statista">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of 2018, the company had approximately 1,700 employees across its 25 offices worldwide.<ref name="avastataglance"/> In July 2021, NortonLifeLock, an American cybersecurity company, announced that it was in talks to merge with Avast Software. In August 2021, Avast's board of directors agreed to an offer of US$8 billion.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Avast was founded by Pavel Baudiš and Eduard Kučera in 1988 as a cooperative. It had been a private company since 2010 and had its IPO in May 2018. In July 2016, Avast acquired competitor AVG Technologies for $1.3 billion. At the time, AVG was the third-ranked antivirus product.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was dual-listed on the Prague Stock Exchange and on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index until it was acquired by NortonLifeLock in September 2022.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The company's main product is Avast Antivirus, along with tools such as the Avast Secure Browser and the Avast SecureLine VPN.
Avast produces Avast Online Security, which is its main extension, but it also has extensions like Avast SafePrice and Avast Passwords.
HistoryEdit
Avast was founded by Eduard Kučera and Pavel Baudiš in 1988.<ref name="USA TODAY 2013">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The founders met each other at the Research Institute for Mathematical Machines in Czechoslovakia.<ref name="USA TODAY 2013"/> They studied math and computer science, because the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia would require them to join the communist party to study physics.<ref name="USA TODAY 2013"/> At the institute, Pavel Baudiš discovered the Vienna virus on a floppy disk and developed the first program to remove it.<ref name="USA TODAY 2013"/><ref name="Blesk.cz">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Download3K 2014">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Afterwards, he asked Eduard Kučera to join him in cofounding Avast as a cooperative.<ref name="Blesk.cz"/> The cooperative was originally called Alwil and only the software was named Avast.<ref name="Wonder 2013">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The cooperative was changed to a joint partnership in 1991, two years after the velvet revolution<ref name="Avast Foundation 2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> caused a regime change in Czechoslovakia. The new regime severed ties with the Soviet Union and reverted the country's economic system to a market economy.<ref name="Blesk.cz"/><ref name="Wonder 2013"/> In 1995, Avast employee Template:Ill wrote the first antivirus program for the Windows 95 operating system.<ref name="Blesk.cz"/> In the 1990s, security researchers at the Virus Bulletin, an IT security testing organization, gave the Avast software an award in every category tested, increasing the popularity of the software.<ref name="Blesk.cz"/> However, by the late 1990s, the company was struggling financially.<ref name="USA TODAY 2013"/> Alwil rebuffed acquisition offers by McAfee, who was licensing the Avast antivirus engine.<ref name="USA TODAY 2013"/>
By 2001, Alwil was experiencing financial difficulties, when it converted to a freemium model, offering a base Avast software product at no cost.<ref name="Blesk.cz"/> As a result of the freemium model, the number of users of the software grew to one million by 2004<ref name="Blesk.cz"/> and 20 million by 2006.<ref name="Wonder 2013"/> Former Symantec executive Vince Steckler was appointed CEO of Avast in 2009.<ref name="The CEO Magazine 2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2010, Alwil changed its name to Avast, adopting the name of the software,<ref name="Wonder 2013"/> and raised $100 million in venture capital investments.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The following December, Avast filed for an initial public offering, but withdrew its application the following July, citing changes in market conditions.<ref name="Roy 2015"/> In 2012, Avast fired its outsourced tech support service iYogi, after it was discovered that iYogi was using misleading sales tactics to persuade customers to buy unnecessary services.<ref name="Dunn 2012">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By 2013, Avast had 200 million users in 38 countries and had been translated into 43 languages.<ref name="USA TODAY 2013"/> At the time, the company had 350 employees.<ref name="Prague Post 2015">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2014, CVC Capital bought an interest in Avast for an undisclosed sum. The purchase valued Avast at $1 billion.<ref name="Tan Cimilluca 2014">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="TechCrunch 2014">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Later that year, Avast acquired mobile app developer Inmite in order to build Avast's mobile apps.<ref name="VentureBeat 2014">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Additionally, Avast's online support forum was compromised in 2014, exposing 400,000 names, passwords and email addresses.<ref name="Kirk 2014">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Meyer 2014">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By 2015, Avast had the largest share of the market for antivirus software.<ref name="Roy 2015">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In July 2016, Avast reached an agreement to buy AVG for $1.3 billion.<ref name="fortune">Template:Cite news</ref> AVG was a large IT security company that sold software for desktops and mobile devices.<ref name="VentureBeat 2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In July 2017, Avast acquired UK-based Piriform for an undisclosed sum. Piriform was the developer of CCleaner.<ref name="venturebeat">Template:Cite news</ref> Shortly afterwards it was disclosed that someone may have created a malicious version of CCleaner with a backdoor for hackers.<ref name="Olenick 2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Avast had its IPO on the London Stock Exchange in May 2018, which valued it at £2.4bn and was one of the UK's biggest technology listings.<ref>Cyber security group Avast valued at £2.4bn in IPO. Financial Times. Aliya Ram in London 10 May 2018.</ref>
Template:Ill assumed the role of CEO and co-owner of Avast Plc in July 2019.<ref name="bloomberg.com">Template:Cite news</ref> A day later, he changed his annual pay to $1 and pledged his board director's compensation of $100,000 to charity.<ref name="bloomberg.com"/> In October 2019, Jaya Baloo joined Avast as their Chief Information Security Officer.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In April 2020, Avast released a new secure, private mobile web browser for Android based on technology acquired from previously unreported acquisition of Tenta, a Seattle-based startup.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In July 2021, NortonLifeLock, an American cybersecurity company, announced that it is in talks to merge with Avast Software. In August 2021, Avast's board of directors agreed to an offer of US$8 billion. In September 2022, the Competition and Markets Authority approved the proposed takeover by NortonLifeLock so allowing the transaction to be completed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ProductsEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also Avast develops and markets business and consumer IT security products for servers, desktops, and mobile devices.<ref name="Avast 2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The company sells both the Avast product line and the acquired AVG-branded products.<ref name="PCMagReview">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As of late 2017, the company had merged the AVG and Avast business product lines and were working to integrate the corporate departments from both companies.<ref name="Kuranda 2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Additionally, Avast has developed utility software products to improve battery life on mobile devices, cleanup unnecessary files on a hard drive, find secure wireless networks<ref name="Avast Free Mac Security 2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or create a VPN connection to the internet.<ref name="PCMAG 2017 VPN">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Avast and AVG consumer security software are sold on a freemium model, where basic security features are free, but more advanced features require purchasing a premium version.<ref name="PCMagReview"/> The free version is also supported by ads.<ref name="PCWorld2009">Template:Cite news</ref> Additionally, all Avast users provide data about their PC or mobile device to Avast, which is used to identify new security threats.<ref name="USA TODAY 2013"/> Antivirus scanning, browser cleanup, a secure browser, password management, and network security features are provided for free, while firewall, anti-spam, and online banking features have to be purchased.<ref name="pcpro2015">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Nadel 2017"/> About 3% of Avast's users pay for a premium version (10% in the US).<ref name="USA TODAY 2013"/>
The Avast business product family includes features for endpoint protection, Wi-Fi security, antivirus, identity protection, password management, and data protection.<ref name="Kuranda 2017"/> For example, the desktop product will look for vulnerabilities in the wi-fi network and run applications suspect of having malicious software in an isolated sandbox.<ref name="Williams 2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Avast Business Managed Workplace monitors and manages desktops, and assesses on-site security protocols.<ref name="Kuranda 2017"/> The company also sells management software for IT administrators to deploy and manage Avast installations.<ref name="Kuranda 2017"/>
ReceptionEdit
In 2021, PC Magazine gave Avast Free Antivirus software an overall score of 4 out of 5<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and gave AVG, which was purchased by Avast in 2016, a score of 4, plus "AVG AntiVirus Free offers precisely the same virus protection engine as Avast Free Antivirus, but it lacks the impressive collection of additional features you get with Avast."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In tests conducted by the AV-TEST Institute in August 2021, Avast and AVG received six out of six points for protection and usability, and six out of six points for performance.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A review in Tom's Guide says that the free Avast antivirus product has "good protection against malware" and takes up little space on the system. The review says that Avast has a competitive set of features for a free antivirus product, but the scans are sometimes not very fast.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Avast antivirus product for business users received 4 out of 5 by TechRadar in 2017.<ref name="Williams">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The review said that the software had good features, protection, configuration and an "excellent interface", but it took up a lot of hard disk space and did not cover mobile devices.<ref name="Williams"/> According to Tom's Guide, the mobile version is inexpensive and packed with features. PC Magazine said that the mobile version "has almost all the security features you could want."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
AVG has also generally performed well in lab tests. A review in Tom's Hardware gave the AVG software seven out of ten stars.<ref name="Nadel 2017">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The review highlighted that the software has a small system footprint and has good malware protection, but does not have a quick scan option and lacks many additional features.<ref name="Nadel 2017"/>
Collection and sale of user dataEdit
In late 2019, Avast browser extensions were found to collect user data, including browsing behavior and history, and send it to a remote server. The discovery led to the extensions of the Avast and AVG brands being temporarily removed from the Google Chrome, Firefox and Opera extension stores, however, they returned a short time later as there was no concrete evidence that demonstrated a breach of private data of the users.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In January 2020, a joint investigation by Motherboard and PCMag found that the Avast Antivirus and AVG AntiVirus Free version were collecting user data, which was being resold to personalize advertising through a subsidiary, Jumpshot.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The leaked documents showed that Jumpshot offered to provide its customers with "Every search. Every click. On every site." from more than 100 million compromised devices. In response, Avast announced on January 30, 2020, that it would immediately shut down Jumpshot and cease all operations due to the backlash of its users' data privacy.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On the basis of the information revealed, on 11 February 2020 the Czech Office for Personal Data Protection announced that it had initiated a preliminary investigation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In February 2024, the Federal Trade Commission fined Avast $16.5 million for collecting user data and reselling that data.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In February 2025, settlement notices were sent to Avast customers by email.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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