Avg 2013

AVG  Antivirus and Anti-Spyware

AVG Technologies began in 1991 and is now one of the biggest players in the antivirus software market with corporate offices in Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. AVG Anti-Virus is one of a handful of the best-performing antivirus software products in the world.

One of the most respected and objective independent IT-security institutes, AV-Test, torture tested AVG Anti-Virus and scored it for its ability to protect and repair. AV-Test also tested AVG for usability. The test results show that AVG is one of the very best-performing antivirus software products and makes it into the top handful of products in its category.

AVG Anti-Virus software uses layers of protection. The first layer is traditional antivirus, which recognizes threats by matching them to a database of known threats. It also defends against spyware and adware in order to protect personal information. Another layer, AVG Resident Shield, prevents you from opening infected files. Every day there are new threats that aren’t in any antivirus software vendor’s database. AVG collects data on fast-breaking infections from the installed base of users who opt to share zero-day data and then updates customer PCs automatically. This security product monitors your protection level and reports back to the AVG lab if it finds a problem. The alert will pop up an Auto-Fix button, and if you press it, AVG will make the correction and set itself back to the best protection mode.

AVG does not intrude on you unnecessarily. It watches for idle time before it tries to scan. And it is intelligent enough to ignore any files that it has already scanned. It has a game mode so that you can concentrate on a multiplayer game without enduring scheduled updates and scans. AVG also guards your digital gaming profiles against hackers who crawl the web to steal your World of Warcraft pets and sell them for real money.

AVG Anti-Virus software protects against internet evils in quite a few other ways as well. Whenever you exchange links within Facebook, mySpace or Twitter, AVG checks them. The AVG Social Networking Protection feature activates upon installation. As you surf the internet, AVG will prevent you from landing on a site that looks suspicious. And it places a safety rating for any link returned by a search engine.

AVG helps users with any problems with the antivirus software. In-program help is available with a user manual and links to additional resources online. The online support center has a FAQs section and a knowledgebase. AVG offers email support for specific inquiries, but no phone support. More options and professional assistance with virus removal are available by paying for premium support.

Summary:

AVG Anti-Virus software is an effective performer with well-considered features. It scores highly in tests conducted at independent software testing labs. It maintains a database of known threats so that it can block them, and it uses cloud technology to quickly deploy defenses against zero-day threats almost as quickly as the hackers can hatch them. It understands how to protect you and warn you against internet attacks. And it protects you in social networking contexts. Support is excellent, and AVG goes the extra mile by providing live chat.

Features

• Surf and search with confidence
• Keep tough threats out
• Stay protected on social networks
• Download, share files and chat safely
• Support and assistance
• Play games and watch movies without interruption
• Scan smarter and faster

System Requirements

Minimum System Requirements

Processor: Intel Pentium 1.5GHz or faster
Memory: 512 MB of RAM
Hard disk free space (for installation): 750 MB

Recommended System Requirements

Processor: Intel Pentium 1.8 GHz or faster
Memory: 512 MB RAM
Hard disk free space (for installation): 1200 MB

Operating systemsAVG Anti-Virus 2011 is compatible with:

• MS Windows XP
• MS Windows XP Pro x64 Edition
• MS Windows Vista
• MS Windows Vista x64 Edition
• MS Windows 7
• MS Windows 7 x64 Edition

Web Browser

AVG's LinkScanner technology is compatible with:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer
•  Mozilla Firefox

Antivirus Software: What to Look for

Antivirus software products block malware from entering your computer system. When security software is unsuccessful at preventing attacks, it is then supposed to detect and remove the malware that gets through the defenses. If you begin to analyze all of the forms of malware and all of the potential entry points, it quickly becomes quite complicated and confusing. You can reduce the complexity of shopping for virus protection by asking a few key questions. How does the antivirus software perform in third-party tests? What features does it have that pertain to my needs? Does it provide support during the times I will need it?

To get some answers, let's discuss these questions one by one.

Performance
The best way to verify vendor claims about performance is to learn how products perform in tests at independent labs. One of the best antivirus researchers is AV-Test, with laboratories in Germany. AV-Test has a lot of credibility within the industry. AV-Test's labs have two dozen servers connected to 280 workstations, where its technicians simulate test environments and perform analysis. They have more than 50 million pieces of malicious test data. Each day, the collection grows by 55,000 new items of malware. The AV-Test suite of tests measures security software's protection, repair and usability components. AV-Test results are the objective criteria we consider when we rank the best antivirus software. 

Features
You can usually count on antivirus software to be easy to install and use. You should be able to schedule scans so that they occur when you do not need to use the computer to avoid slowdowns from the software's resource usage requirements. Antivirus software ought to protect you against malware infiltration whether it attempts to reach your computer via web browsing, email, instant messaging or removable storage devices. No security software is perfect, so when a threat successfully accesses your computer, your antivirus software has a second chance to protect you by detecting and disabling the invader.

Help & Support
When you examine help and support, ask yourself whether you will need 24/7 access to technical support or whether you can make do with fewer hours. Some vendors provide support by email. If you want telephone support, use our reviews to learn whether the vendor offers it before you buy.

             There is an arms race escalating every day between law-abiding PC users and organized gangs     of hackers. These hackers invent new methods all the time. The best antivirus software publishers provide you with a fighting chance to keep your bank accounts private and your identity secure.