2012 Antivirus Software Ratings

avast Pro Antivirus 2012 (6.0)

Avast has grown from a simple, free antivirus software into a more robust, pro antivirus software. There are some interesting features this year along with some decent virus and spyware protection.

However, there are a few issues that concern us, namely avast's virus removal and anti-phishing which could both use some improvement.

Testing from independent labs showed avast Pro Antivirus 2012 to score very well when it comes to real-time antivirus protection, as well as spyware and trojan blocking.

Resource usage was average, but still lighter than some of their competitors.

Phone technical support is available, but only for basic issues.

Avast Pro Antivirus 6 also has a few interesting extra features this year, making for a well-rounded, but partially flawed antivirus software.

	Next: Virus & Spyware Protection

avast Pro Antivirus 2012 Features

• Real-time Antivirus
  
  Protects you in real-time against viruses, spyware, and other malware 24/7.
• Antiphishing
  
  Blocks dangerous sites from stealing your personal information.
• IM Protection
  
  Helps keep your Instant Messaging conversations safe and private.
• Email Protection
  
  Helps keep your email safe from viruses and spyware.
• Sandbox
  
  Runs suspicious software in a safe, isolated environment for maximum protection.
• SafeZone
  
  Let's you shop and bank online in a safe browser.
• Gamer Mode
  
  Keeps system resource usage and notifications to a minimum while gaming.