With smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart devices becoming a mainstay in everyday life, the world has become more mobile and connected than ever. Almost every device can connect to the internet from anywhere. While this is undoubtedly convenient, the large range of devices and variety of methods to connect leaves security vulnerabilities. The answer to this is a fully converged router and end-point solution to guarantee security both in the house and on the go. With all solution features controlled by one app, users can feel protected without the difficulty of managing security through several different mediums and needless onboarding. As more and more connected devices enter our lives and households, a converged security solution is necessary to keep every facet of digital life safe and protected.

Tackling the challenge of IoT growth

The growing volume of connected devices per household and increasing diversity of device types has challenged cybersecurity to create extendable solutions and account for these trends.  When it comes to security and parental controls, typical service providers require a client on the protected device. However, embedded firmware into all connected devices may not be the best approach; installing it onto small IoT devices can be very difficult and it is not a scalable solution to cover an entire connected household. This is where a router solution comes into play. By embedding a firmware agent into the router, each individual device is effectively monitored for security and parental control issues. With device ID capabilities, users can easily view every connection to their router, and identify when there is an intruding device that may pose a threat. 

With one of Avast’s partners, a T-1 EU network operator, we launched both router and end-point solutions to accommodate mobile devices frequently taken outside of the home router range. Since a router solution only works when devices are connected in the home, installing a client on devices such as phones and laptops ensures that consumers are protected wherever they go and however they connect. For mobile devices like phones or laptops, having a client on those devices is possible and ensures that consumers are protected wherever they go and however they connect. Avast’s EU carrier solution is the first successful iteration of a comprehensive security and family protection offering that cannot be found in any other market in the world. 

Using AI for effective protection

Traditional security systems typically rely on deep packet inspection (DPI) or DNS filtering, however, both are becoming unreliable. DPI functions as a firewall feature, examining the contents of information packets passing through a checkpoint and determines any risk factors before sending them along to the user. This method relies on the DPI’s ability to sort through the packets at a fast rate so users are not impacted by the processing. Unfortunately, DPI’s heavy use of bandwidth will restrain its ability to scale due to the expected upsurge of data traffic over the coming years.

DNS has its own faults; most DNS ecosystems remain unencrypted and require large amounts of packet information to properly filter. There are new security measures using DNS over TLS and DNS over HTTPS, both intended to protect user privacy and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. While this does improve user protection, it also limits the efficacy of traditional DNS filtering services as providers incorporate these methods. In recent years, criticism of DNS over HTTPS has grown, citing instances of vulnerabilities during the migration period to the more encrypted DNS.

Our EU carrier solution lies in AI-algorithms that utilizes our deep understanding of home topographies and years of scanning and protecting home networks through our traditional AV solution. The AI-algorithms can accurately and reliably detect each individual device connected in the home, build a baseline pattern of 'normal' behavior, apply our global benchmarks for specific types of devices, and then monitor for any deviation from normal patterns of behavior. This does not rely on decryption like DPI nor does it require all the packet information used by traditional DNS filtering services, keeping consumers protected without any impact on device latency.

The future of 5G

As more devices become even more mobile, we run into a similar issue of end-point clients becoming impractical again. With the future pointing towards 5G, the Avast platform was built with this in mind. By taking the same underlying AI technology and deploying it as a virtual networking function (VNF), we can embed our solution at the 5G edge network. This way, any mobile connected device that is connecting through the 5G network does not need an end-point client and can be protected from cyber threats. Avast has been able to adapt to the changing technological landscape for over thirty years, and 5G is just another innovation to accommodate.

About Avast Smart Life

Avast Smart Life can detect unusual behavior and shut down malicious attacks before they can cause harm to the family by bringing together cybersecurity for all connected devices. In addition to keeping users and their devices safe, Smart Life also has parental control features, allowing parents to monitor their child’s internet use and encourage healthy online habits. 

Avast is the only provider capable of delivering a comprehensive security suite, from robust threat intelligence to solutions across end-points, routers, and 5G gateways. Network operators can effectively offer a seamless security suite for customers powered through a single interface, making cyber protection easy and efficient. Avast has protected millions of users over 15+ years of working with T-1 service providers. Our marketing and go to market strategy support paired with 24/7 network assistance takes the tedious detail tasks away from partners and gives them more flexibility to focus on their users.

Find out more on how to keep your network safe and secure through partnering with Avast.