Avast — antivirus software developer for businesses and consumers

Information Security

Avast Software s.r.o. is a Czech company and developer of software for protection against viruses, malware, and cyber threats. The company was founded in 1988 in Prague.

Official website: avast.com

History of Avast

Avast was founded in 1988 by Pavel Baudiš and Oldřich Křžík in Prague. Initially, the product was developed as an antivirus program for computers running MS-DOS. In the 1990s, Avast became one of the first antivirus products to become widely adopted in Europe.

In 2021, Avast merged with NortonLifeLock, forming one of the world's largest cybersecurity companies. The combined company serves more than 500 million users worldwide.

Avast Products for Business

Avast Business Antivirus

A line of antivirus products for workstations running Windows, macOS, and Linux. Two editions are available:

Avast Business Antivirus Pro

Basic protection for small and medium businesses. Includes modules:

Real-time Shield: real-time antivirus protection;
Behavior Shield: analysis of program behavior to detect anomalies and unknown threats (zero-day);
Ransomware Shield: protection against ransomware (file access control via whitelist);
Firewall: management of network connections and ports;
Data Shredder: guaranteed file deletion.

Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus

Extended version with additional features:

Webcam protection (protection against unauthorized camera access);
VPN (internet traffic encryption);
Password Manager (password storage and generation).

Avast Business CloudCare

Cloud platform for centralized security management. Functionality:

Unified console for managing antivirus, patch deployment, and backup;
Agent deployment via GPO, scripts, or email invitations;
Automatic reports on protection status (vulnerabilities, outdated software);
Integration with RMM systems (Kaseya, N-able) via API.

Avast Business Server Protection

Protection for file, mail, and web servers. Supported operating systems: Windows Server (2008–2022), Linux (SUSE, RedHat, Debian, Ubuntu). Features:

Real-time scanning of file systems;
Scanning of mail traffic (SMTP, POP3, IMAP);
Ransomware protection at the server level;
Centralized management via CloudCare.

Avast Mobile Security

Protection for mobile devices running Android and iOS. Includes antivirus, VPN, app control, and theft protection (remote lock and data wipe).

Avast Technologies

Cloud-based detection

Real-time cloud threat analytics. Avast analyzes billions of files worldwide to detect new threats and update signatures.

CyberCapture

Technology for automatically sending suspicious files to cloud analysis to detect new, previously unknown viruses (zero-day).

Behavior Shield

Real-time monitoring of program behavior to detect unknown threats based on analysis of process actions (file access, network connections, registry changes).

Smart Scan

Comprehensive system scan for vulnerabilities, outdated programs, and security configuration issues.

Use in Corporate Environments

Workstation protection: antivirus protection of employee computers against viruses, ransomware, and phishing;
Server protection: antivirus protection of file storage, mail servers, and application servers;
Centralized management: security policy management from a unified cloud console;
Mobile device protection: security control of corporate data on employee smartphones and tablets.

Licensing

Avast business licenses are provided per number of devices for a term of 1-3 years. Programs are available for small businesses (up to 10 devices) and corporate licenses (unlimited number of devices).