Prague, Czech Republic, February 18, 2021 – Avast (LSE:AVST), a global leader in digital security and privacy products, today announced that Avast Free Antivirus has been awarded “Top-Rated Product” status for 2020 by AV-Comparatives. Avast was recognized ahead of many paid-for alternatives. 

AV-Comparatives is an independent test lab known for its sophisticated testing of security software products. As well as receiving the “Top-Rated Product” accolade, Avast Free Antivirus scored highly in seven contributing tests - this included four “Advanced+” and three “Advanced” ratings. Avast Free Antivirus also achieved a joint Bronze Award for Advanced Threat Protection, and a joint Silver Award for Real-World Protection Test.

“We’re once again very proud to be recognized as a Top-Rated Product by AV-Comparatives, which the cybersecurity industry looks to as one of the leading independent antivirus testing institutions,” said Michal Pechoucek, Chief Technology Officer at Avast. “COVID-19 has brought with it a new wave of cyber threats that target consumers. Our machine learning-based threat detection technology enables us to tackle these new and evolving threats and we will continue defending everyone’s right to a safe internet.”

“Avast Free Antivirus has a modern interface with simple customization, making it easy to use for consumers. Its detection systems performed well and the programed actions were reliable. In this past year, consumers have been targeted with a range of scams that are evolving faster than ever before,” commented Andreas Clementi, Founder and CEO of AV-Comparatives. “Due to its strong performance during our in-depth testing process, we named Avast Free Antivirus a Top-Rated Product of 2020.”

Each year, AV-Comparatives tests Windows compatible security products as part of its annual security report. All products were tested on: protection against real-world threats, protection against malware, protection against targeted threats, effect on device performance and number of false-positives flagged.

The full report for 2020 can be found here: https://www.av-comparatives.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/avc_sum_202012_en.pdf 

About AV-Comparatives:
AV-Comparatives is an independent organization offering systematic testing that checks whether security software, such as PC/Mac-based antivirus products and mobile security solutions, lives up to its promises. Using one of the largest sample collections worldwide, it creates a real-world environment for truly accurate testing. AV-Comparatives offers freely accessible results to individuals, news organizations and scientific institutions. Certification by AV-Comparatives provides an official seal of approval for software performance which is globally recognized. Visit: https://www.av-comparatives.org/consumer/