What is the Avast Free Antivirus component of Avast One?

Avast Free Antivirus is a default component of Avast One. It is a security application that helps protect your device from viruses, malware, phishing, and other threats.

Avast Free Antivirus includes the free features listed below.

Can I upgrade the Avast Free Antivirus to a paid subscription?

Yes. Avast Premium Security is the premium version of Avast Free Antivirus. It includes all of the free features that are included in Avast Free Antivirus, as well as the premium features listed below.

For detailed instructions on how to upgrade to Avast Premium Security, refer to the following article: Installing and activating Avast One apps.

What are Virus Scans?

Virus Scans include several comprehensive virus scans that help detect and fix malware-related issues on your device.

• Smart Scan: Performs a comprehensive scan that helps detect system issues, hidden viruses, and other advanced issues at the same time. For information about running a Smart Scan, refer to the following article: Run a Smart Scan in Avast One.
• Full Virus Scan: Performs an in-depth scan for malware, checking your whole system from top to bottom. This scan may take several minutes to complete.
• Targeted Scan: Performs a scan of the folders or drives that you specify.
• Boot-Time Scan: Performs a scan of your Windows device as it boots to scan for malware that is hard to reach after startup. This is an advanced scan designed for use when you suspect a threat in the system.

What are Core Shields?

Core Shields are the main protection components in Avast Free Antivirus. By default, all Core Shields are enabled to help provide optimal protection. The Core Shields are comprised of the following shields:

• File Shield: Scans programs and files saved on your Windows device for malicious threats in real-time before allowing them to be opened, run, modified, or saved. If malware is detected, File Shield prevents the program or file from infecting your device.
• Behavior Shield: Monitors all processes on your Windows device in real-time for suspicious behavior that may indicate the presence of malicious code. Behavior Shield works by detecting and blocking suspicious files based on their similarity to other known threats, even if the files are not yet added to the virus definitions database.
• Mail Shield: Scans your incoming and outgoing email messages in real-time for malicious content such as viruses. Scanning applies only to messages sent or received using a mail management software (email clients, such as Microsoft Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird). If you access your web-based email account via an internet browser, your Windows device is protected by other Avast shields.

What is AI Agent Protection

AI Agent Protection (Sage) is a real-time security layer that sits between your AI agent and your system. Before an action executes (running a command, downloading a file, writing to disk), AI Agent Protection checks it first and either allows it, blocks it, or asks you for input. It helps your agents work fast without letting threats slip through.

For more information about Quarantine, refer to the following article: AI Agent Protection - FAQs.

What is Quarantine?

Quarantine is an isolated space where you can store potentially dangerous files or send them to the Avast Threat Lab for analysis. Files in Quarantine cannot run or access your system and data, so any malicious code contained within a file is unable to harm your Windows device.

For more information about Quarantine, refer to the following article: Quarantine - Getting Started.

What is Ransomware Shield?

Ransomware Shield helps secure your personal photos, documents, and files from being modified, deleted, or encrypted by ransomware attacks. This feature scans for and helps secure folders that may contain personal data, and allows you to specify which other folders you want to protect from untrusted applications. Additionally, you can specify which applications are allowed to modify the files in your folders and which applications are always blocked.

What is Firewall?

Firewall monitors all network traffic between your Windows device and the outside world to help protect you from unauthorized communication and intrusions. Firewall can prevent sensitive data from leaving your Windows device and can block attempted intrusions by hackers. You can also set the application rules to control network and internet communication for specific software applications.

Firewall also includes several features that are only available if you have a paid Avast Premium Security subscription. For more information about the premium features, refer to the Premium Features section.

What is Network Inspector?

Network Inspector scans your network for vulnerabilities and identifies potential security issues that open the door to threats. This feature checks the status of your network, devices connected to the network, and router settings. Network Inspector helps you secure your network to prevent attackers from accessing it and misusing your personal data.

What is Software Updater?

Software Updater is a feature in Avast Free Antivirus that keeps commonly used third-party software up to date to eliminate potential security risks. Malicious threats or attackers often use leaks in outdated software to access your Windows device. Software Updater displays the most popular programs installed on your Windows device and allows you to easily update them.

What is Do Not Disturb Mode?

Do Not Disturb Mode works to silence unnecessary notifications while you run almost any application in fullscreen. Each time you open an application in fullscreen, Do Not Disturb Mode automatically detects it and adds it to a list of applications. When you run applications from this list of entries, Do Not Disturb Mode automatically launches to silence notifications from Windows, Avast Free Antivirus, and other applications. In the Do Not Disturb Mode applications list, you can also select … More options (three dots) next to the relevant application, then tick the Maximize performance box, which allows the application to run at highest priority and boost the performance of your Windows device.

What is Hack Check?

Hack Check informs you if the passwords linked with the email address you provide have been leaked online in a data breach.

What is Avast Assistant?

Avast Assistant is an AI-driven tool designed to analyze texts, emails, and links for signs of scams. Beyond detecting suspicious content, it serves as a cybersecurity resource, allowing users to ask questions on various topics related to online safety.

For more information about Avast Assistant, refer to one of the following articles:

• Avast One Scam Guardian - FAQs
• Avast One Scam Guardian - Getting Started

What is Web Guard?

Web Guard is one of the Core Shields of Avast Free Antivirus, which scans internet activity in real-time to prevent malware, such as malicious scripts, from being downloaded.

For more information about Web Guard, refer to one of the following articles:

• Avast One Scam Guardian - FAQs
• Avast One Scam Guardian - Getting Started

What are Firewall Premium features?

Firewall includes the following premium features are only available if you have a paid Avast Premium Security subscription:

• Leak Protection: Increases your security on public networks by preventing your Windows device from leaking potentially sensitive information to the network, including your login credentials, computer name, and email address. We recommend enabling Leak Protection whenever you are connected to a public Wi-Fi network (such as in an airport or cafe).
• Port Scan Alerts: When Port Scan Alerts is enabled, Firewall alerts you if hackers or malware attempt to scan your Windows device for open ports. We recommend keeping Port Scan Alerts enabled at all times.
• ARP Spoofing Alerts: When ARP Spoofing Alerts is enabled, Firewall alerts you about ARP spoofing attacks. ARP spoofing is when an attacker exploits the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) to trick the devices on a network into communicating with an external device that is controlled by the attacker. We recommend keeping ARP Spoofing Alerts enabled at all times.

What is Email Guard?

Email Guard scans incoming emails in your online email accounts. Email Guard labels received emails as either Avast: Safe, Avast: Unsafe, or Avast: Scam for potentially malicious or phishing emails. The labels are added directly in your online email account, improving your safety when checking emails from any device or any browser.

For more information about Email Guard, refer to the following articles:

• New Avast One Email Guard - FAQs
• New Avast One Email Guard - Getting Started

What is Deepfake Guard?

Deepfake Guard is a security feature that uses advanced AI to analyze audio and video content in real time, detect synthetic voices, and identify deepfake-based scams. These scams often involve realistic fake voices or videos created to impersonate trusted individuals or promote fraudulent schemes, such as cryptocurrency offers using AI-generated deepfakes of public figures. By spotting these manipulations as you watch or listen, deepfake protection helps prevent users from being tricked into sharing money or personal information.

Refer to the following article for more information about Deepfake Guard: Deepfake Guard - Getting Started.

What is Webcam Shield?

Webcam Shield helps prevent applications and malware from accessing your Windows device's webcam without your consent. With Webcam Shield enabled, untrusted applications should not be able to capture images or videos and send the content outside of your Windows device to compromise your privacy.

What is Real Site?

Real Site helps secure you against DNS (Domain Name System) hijacking. Some malicious programs can stealthily redirect you from an authentic URL to an inauthentic one to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details.

What is Sensitive Data Shield?

Sensitive Data Shield scans and helps protect your sensitive personal documents against unauthorized access and malware. The files considered sensitive contain your personal information that, if revealed, can compromise your privacy and identity. Sensitive Data Shield controls which applications and users have access to your files to secure your private data.

What is Data Shredder?

Simply deleting sensitive files, such as user data or licensed software, may not be safe, as there are tools capable of restoring deleted files. Data Shredder allows you to irreversibly erase your files, folders, or entire drives, to prevent restoration or misuse of your data. It is especially useful when selling or donating your PC or hard drive.

What is Remote Access Shield?

Remote Access Shield helps you control which IP addresses can remotely access your Windows device and helps block all other connection attempts. By default, Remote Access Shield helps block connections from known malicious IP addresses, connections that attempt to exploit known vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Remote Desktop Protocol, and brute-force attacks that repeatedly try to log in to your system with commonly used or stolen login credentials.

What is Browser Shield?

Browser Shield helps enhance the security of your browser-stored passwords by enabling you to manage which apps can access them.

What is Sandbox?

Sandbox allows you to browse the web or run an application in an isolated, safe environment. When you run an application in Sandbox, your activity and web content is contained, which helps prevent damage to your Windows device. This is useful when you want to run suspicious or untrusted applications without risk.

What is Bank Mode?

Bank Mode provides a virtual desktop that acts as a clean, safe Windows device within your real Windows device. The Bank Mode virtual desktop helps protect you against the injection of malicious scripts, keystroke logging, and screenshot attempts by third-party apps. We recommend using Bank Mode each time you want to access a banking website or pay online.