As we all know, what really matters at the end of the day in a security product is that it protects you against everything that tries to attack you.  And with our most recent award from the prestigious AV-Comparatives Lab, we have received independent endorsement that we do this best. AV-Comparatives is an independent test lab that throughout the year periodically tests the leading cybersecurity products on the market with rigorous real-world protection tests, malware tests, performance tests, and more. The point is to provide unbiased reports regarding these products so that consumers and businesses alike can make informed decisions when choosing how to protect their digital world. Because Avast Free Antivirus consistently performed at top levels receiving the highest classification — “Advanced+” — in every test administered by AV-Comparatives throughout 2018, it was named “Product of the Year 2018.”  And, while product pricing is not part of the tests’ assessment criteria, with this award, Avast Free Antivirus beat all paid security products tested by AV-Comparatives.

Avast team receiving Product of the Year award

In addition to the grand title, AV-Comparatives awarded Avast Free Antivirus the Gold Award for “Malware Protection.” The report also praises the software’s clear controls, its modern and touch-friendly interface, and its comprehensive Smart Scan feature.

The lab’s Public Main Test Series pits each security product against a barrage of real-world threats, monitoring each product to see if it can identify malicious programs, provide protection without slowing down the PC, and remove malware that had already affected the PC. Avast averaged highest across all tests.

“AV-Comparatives is one of the industry’s leading independent antivirus testing institutions, so winning the ‘Product of the Year’ award is like winning the world championship of antivirus products. The recognition of Avast Free Antivirus as ‘Product of the Year’ is a testament to our technological leadership in the cybersecurity space,” said Ondrej Vlcek, President, Consumer, at Avast. “Whether it’s new types of crypto-mining attacks, banking trojans, or increasingly sophisticated phishing campaigns, the complexity of threats is constantly evolving. In 2018, we saw the dawn of adversarial AI and the growth of IoT devices as a growing target for hackers. Staying ahead of these threats requires continued technological progress and innovations, and that’s exactly what we’re focusing on at Avast.”

Read the full AV-Comparatives annual report, and protect yourself and your loved ones with the year’s strongest antivirus. Download Avast Free Antivirus today, or browse our other products that contain the same award-winning anti-malware technology plus specialty security features, such as Avast Internet Security, Avast Premier, and Avast Ultimate, as well as our Avast Business offerings.