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- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: September 25, 2009
- Total Downloads: 63,682,024
- Downloads last week: 741,971
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 11818 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on September 23, 2008
This impressive software provides the same steadfast protection of well-known antivirus programs, yet it's surprisingly free.
Avast Home Edition guards your PC and the network with multiple shields that scan executables and files. You can select parameters for scanning, and even choose wildcards to exclude specific file types. You can adjust the sensitivity level for the program's detectors when it comes to scanning downloaded files, instant messages, e-mails, and a host of P2Ps. Its efficient interface opens up window after window to tweak its settings to your liking, for novice to advanced level protection.
Though it took quite some time to run, we're impressed with this application's boot-time antivirus scan. Fortunately, if you're in a pinch you can bypass it. If malicious contents are detected, Avast comes to the rescue with handy virus cleanup tools. Some decent PC controls are even handed out here. You can block certain URLs and file operations, such as writing to files or even renaming, deleting or formatting them.
With immediate real-time protection, clockwork updates, and much more, this free software is highly regarded in our book.
Watch the CNET video review of Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus:
Publisher's description
From Alwil Software :Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus is a complete ICSA & Checkmark certified antivirus, Checkmark certified anti-spyware & anti-rootkit package. Avast includes the following components: On demand scanner with skinnable simple interface, just select what do you want to scan in which way and press the Play button; On access scanner, special providers to protect the most of available e-mail clients; Instant messaging--ICQ, Miranda; Network traffic--intrusion detection, lightweight firewall; P2P protection for Kazaa, BitTorrent; Web shield--monitors and filters all HTTP traffic; NNTP scanner--scans all Usenet Newsgroup traffic and all operations with files on PC; Boot time scanner--scans disks in the same way and in the same time as Windows CHKDSK does.
What's new in this version:
Version 4.8.1356 has solved a memory leak in the GZIP unpacker and solved vulnerabilities in AavmKer4.sys, aswMon2.sys and ashWsFtr.dll.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 11818 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 450 user reviewsSee all 450 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus 4.8.1356
"Very light weight,but efficient program."
Pros: Runs nicely in the background,little or no disturbance to other programs!!
Cons: I have no negative comments.
Summary: The product is very easy to download and install,no problem at all,As I said above it causes no interference with other programs. Very pleased over all,that I downloaded and installed it !!!!!!!!!!
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Version: Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus 4.8.1356
"Good Free Antivirus Software"
Pros: Detects viruses upon download.
Always scanning, have not seen a virus yet.Cons: Confusing to some, because does not scan like a normal virus scanner.
Summary: Excellent free virus software. Always updating. Always Protected.
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Version: Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus 4.8.1356
"i think its too much use full and activity"
Pros: free daily update and activity
Cons: cool and use full
Summary: great
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Version: Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus 4.8.1356
"excellent product - does what it claims and ITS FREE!"
Pros: Why would anyone want to pay out good money, either as a one off or annual fee for a product that in my experience is no better than AVAST
Cons: The only fault I can find to write about is that the product has no faults!!
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Version: Avast Home Edition - Free Antivirus 4.8.1356
Pros: Much smaller footprint and impact than alternatives trialled.
Cons: No issues so far (used for many years)
Summary: Totally recommend this product.
- See all 450 user reviews Write review
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