AVAST! 8 Is Here!

Although we don’t usually go a bundle on consumer software it is useful to know that AVAST! have brought out version 8 of their popular AV app.  “As antivirus should remain focused on stopping viruses, our goal for version 8 was to improve upon what we already do very well,” said AVAST CEO Vince Steckler, and as such the AV vendor has spent a lot of time on this version of their very popular app.

AVAST version 8 brings some very useful new technologies for more proactive detection:

• Malware-similarity search technology to identify and blacklist files that are similar to known infections 
• A new dynamic-detection engine combined with the AutoSandbox feature to give users a quarantine defence barrier in which suspicious files can be inspected. 
• A new backend detection system called Evo-Gen which identifies characteristics common to large sets of malware samples that are otherwise unique to the entire ecosystem 
• A new feature that watches installed applications and checks for updates – this can be set to alert you to new patches or just auto install them 
• Remote Assistance – basically this allows you to get the resident ‘PC expert’ in your family or friends to dial in to your PC and take a look at a problem 
• Browser Cleanup, to get shot of rubbish toolbars and other plugins – you just have to get AVAST 8 just for this feature because of the risk of such apps directing you to malware infected sites and downloads.  Plus, the look on your teen son/daughter’s face when it wipes their cruddy stuff off the screen. Priceless. 
• Finally, for those of you wanting to move to a fondle-type computing device, AVAST! 8 has been optimised for touch screens

Interested? You can take a look at AVAST! 8 here