Mobile World Congress, Barcelona / Redwood City, California, February 26, 2018 – Avast, the leader in digital security products, today announced its Smart Life platform, a new Internet of Things (IoT) security offering that protects people’s digital lives. The Smart Life platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) technology to identify and block threats and is delivered through a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model to service providers and customers. The new offering makes it simple for consumers and small businesses to secure their IoT devices, networks and sensitive data whether at home, in the office or on-the-go.
With IoT growth predicted to more than triple by 2025 to over 75 billion connected things, manufacturers are under pressure to deliver smart devices to market quickly and at an affordable price; however, this often means security features are neglected. The Smart Life platform solves the problem of unsecured IoT devices leaving users vulnerable to cyberattacks.
“It has been five years now since the first well-publicized hack of a baby monitor in Texas. Since then, IoT devices have transformed our homes and workplaces, but the security of these connected devices has not been significantly improved and users are still at risk. We increasingly expect convenience and enjoyment from smart devices like smart speakers, smart doorbells or IP cameras, but with this rapid adoption comes a real urgency to address the complex challenge of protecting them,” said Gagan Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobile at Avast.
He continued, “With over 400 million active users worldwide at Avast, we get unparalleled insights into how IoT devices work which feed our cloud-based machine learning engine to identify and quickly block anomalies, botnets and other threats to IoT devices. When developing the Smart Life platform to harness the power of this technology, our focus was on delivering a security service that is easy for people to use to secure all of their IoT devices and networks.”
The reality is that many smart devices can be compromised, including thermostats, streaming boxes, webcams and digital personal assistants – and consumers and small businesses are among the most vulnerable users. One of the more common types of attack is when cybercriminals hack thousands of IoT devices in unsuspecting households to create networks of infected devices known as botnets to perform attacks on others. We expect to see an increase in this type of criminal activity along with personal data theft and threats to physical security in 2018 and beyond.
One of Avast’s initial offerings based on the Smart Life platform, Avast Smart Home Security, will provide consumers with protection and visibility into what is happening on their home network. Key features include the detection of privacy threats, botnets and malware as well as safe browsing and prevention of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
An example of how the solution works to detect threats is if a smart heating thermostat is turned on at an unusual time and is transmitting data in high volume to an unknown location, then Avast can instantly take action to shut down the attack and alert the family to the strange activity. As the service is rolled-out, additional features will be available. These include the ability to pause Internet access, limit screen time and the addition of robust content filters.
Available later this year, users will be able to get Avast Smart Home Security directly through an easy to use mobile app along with a hub that connects to the home network. Avast is also working with telecommunications providers to deliver a joint offering to their subscribers.
Avast will be talking about the Smart Life platform at Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona in hall 7, stand 7C60.