Category Archives: Consumer Alerts

Keep track of your family’s devices using your Avast Account

The average US family owns four mobile devices, plus Internet-connected computers and other devices. Your Avast Account helps you manage their security. Keeping your security software up-to-date on all of these devices can quickly get confusing, and with today’s risks you want to make sure everything has adequate protection. Your Avast Account can simplify that […]

Network Security 4 – How to upgrade your router with the latest firmware or replace it completely

It’s difficult to accept that we made an unwise purchase or even that a piece of technology has gone obsolete. But when it comes to the security of your home network, it’s time to face up to it. Last February, Craig Young, a researcher at security firm Tripwire, published research showing that 80% of the […]

How to disable access to your router from the Internet

When Avast Home Network Security (HNS) displays the following error: “Your network router is accessible from the Internet” that means that hackers can access your router’s administrative interface.   Although that doesn’t mean imminent threat, the fact that the router is accessible from the Internet is not good. A cybercrook could modify your network settings […]

Home Depot discloses that 53 million customer email addresses were stolen

The Home Depot security breach last spring has gotten worse. In addition to the 56 million credit-card accounts that were compromised, around 53 million customer email addresses were also taken, according to a statement from Home Depot about the breach investigation. Home Depot assures its customers that no passwords, payment card information like debit card […]

How to turn on WiFi encryption in your router settings

Eavesdropping is a major concern when we talk about the security of home WiFi networks. People around you, your neighbors in the next apartment, or even your own government, can discover anything flowing through your Internet traffic. Your personal data, like passwords and log in credentials, your credit card numbers, and  your photos and videos, are […]

Your home network is at risk of cybersecurity attacks

Router vulnerabilities and weak passwords allow cybercrooks easy access to your home network That little router box provided by your ISP or that you bought at Radio Shack and forgot about, is a weak link in your Internet-connected household. Many homes in the United States use a wireless router to connect multiple devices, but unsecured […]

Avast 2015 new feature: Home Network Security scanning

Nowadays, security is team work: Software and hardware should work together to achieve the most complete protection possible. Complete protection is why the developers at Avast Software decided to include a security feature called Home Network Security (HNS) in the new Avast 2015. HNS is all about scanning your router for vulnerabilities and identifying potential security problems that open the […]

Look-alike Avast Online Security extension deceives users on Google Play

We have been recently notified about a suspicious browser extension for Google Chrome. Suspicious because it was called “Avast Free Antivirus 2014″, while our browser extension is called Avast Online Security. You can see the fake extension along with our official ones in Chrome Web Store printscreen below. The extension looks professional featuring printscreens of […]

Pony stealer spread vicious malware using email campaign

Most people want to stay on top of their bills, and not pay them late. But recently, unexpected emails claiming an overdue invoice have been showing up in people’s inboxes, causing anxiety and ultimately a malware attack. Read this report from the Avast Virus Lab, so as a consumer you’ll know what to look for, […]

Pony stealer spread vicious malware using email campaign

Most people want to stay on top of their bills, and not pay them late. But recently, unexpected emails claiming an overdue invoice have been showing up in people’s inboxes, causing anxiety and ultimately a malware attack. Read this report from the Avast Virus Lab, so as a consumer you’ll know what to look for, […]