When AV-Comparatives conducted an independent study of leading cybersecurity brands this past July, both Avast and AVG free antivirus products received top marks in detecting all threats each with a detection rate of 100%. Our technology is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). With over 400 million sensors feeding us big data, we use machine learning to stay on top of the most evolved malware.

So what was tested?

The Real-World Tests from AV-Comparatives are long-term, dynamic tests that replicate the conditions of an average computer online. The tests evaluate protection capabilities against all kinds of threats, using the product’s default settings. It’s an honest test of the exact software the consumer would buy, nothing tweaked or reprogrammed for optimization.

The computers used in the tests run up-to-date Microsoft Windows 10 with popular third-party software such as Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat Reader and even the problematic Java, among others. The cybersecurity software’s shields are really tested because, in this simulation, the malware needs to pass through third-party applications which are up-to-date, and therefore free of any known vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malware. The malware used reflects what a typical user would experience in everyday life: new malicious URLs, gray files and sites (non-malicious that could challenge the security programs), and live working exploits, such as drive-by malware that could be downloaded.

What do the results mean?

It means Avast and AVG are delivering a level of top security with our free products, and our users can enjoy peace of mind.  Users also can rest assured that there will be minimal interference of their PC activities by Avast and AVG.  In addition to the security provided by its free antivirus products, Avast recommends to always update operating systems and critical apps to keep you at a high level of protection while on the internet.

It also means that you could be facing issues if you're using the default Microsoft Windows Defender protection, which came in 13th, only detecting 99.4% of the malware. Also, many paid solutions cannot currently provide the needed protection due to—among other things—a lack of big data.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Results of AV-Comparatives July 2017 Real-World Protection Test - Avast & AVG at 100%

Will cybersecurity slow down my PC?

This question inevitably comes after you decide to use an antivirus program. The layered defenses of Avast and AVG antivirus products guarantee we use the least possible resources to achieve the best possible protection.

Avast & AVG at the latest May 2017 Performance Test from AV-Comparatives Results

What are you waiting for?

The most powerful cybersecurity in the world is free! Just download and install Avast's free antivirus to get your peace of mind. If you want a higher degree of protection with Ransomware Shield and other performance improvements, check out our premium products.