Author Archives: Avast Blog

Avast Mobile Security Pro now includes Avast Anti-Theft

At least 2 million smartphones are stolen every year in the US alone. Meaning that chances are, you or someone you know will have to deal with this in 2017. And that’s not even counting the number of people who lose phones. Admit it — you’ve misplaced your phone in the last month, haven’t you?

The ways of the hacker: Exactly how do they violate your online privacy?

We’ve been talking for a few weeks now – ever since the FCC’s internet privacy protections were overturned – about what a VPN is and how you can be sure you’re picking a reputable VPN connection. But what might not be as clear is the methods hackers use and how they’re evolving.

How to spot a fake VPN

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With the FCC chair’s recent push to dismantle net neutrality, on top of last month’s rollback of FCC regulations that would have protected online privacy, interest in virtual private networks (VPNs) is probably at an all-time high. Targeted marketing, based on your online searching, viewing, shopping – everything – habits, is already prevalent. These new changes will most certainly result in companies’ scrutinizing and selling your data even more aggressively. And the death of net neutrality means these same companies can use that data to determine which streaming services you use, for instance, then charge you a premium to access them.

Collision 2017: Avast CEO addressing the dark side of the IoT

IoT just doesn’t stand for the Internet of Things. It also means the Insecurity of Things. As we race to create new technological innovations, the lack of security for all our “smart” devices isn’t getting as much attention as it should, at our peril. How can we ensure today’s and tomorrow’s connected things don’t make our lives easier by costing us our privacy, safety, and security?

You have the right to remain private

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All the recent hype surrounding internet deregulation has plenty of people in a panic. But if you’re an ordinary citizen like most of us here at Avast, never fear. Many of us (not all of us are threat-detecting, code-writing geniuses, after all) are sometimes tempted to slam our laptops shut, wrap them in barbed wire, and toss them off the nearest cliff. Swear.