Avast vs Microsoft Defender

2021. Microsoft launches Defender for Business



Microsoft has introduced Microsoft Defender for Business, a new easy-to-use and cost-effective endpoint security solution that's specially built to bring enterprise-grade endpoint security to businesses with up to 300 employees. Defender for Business elevates security from traditional antivirus to next-generation protection, endpoint detection and response, threat and vulnerability management, and more. It offers simplified configuration and management with intelligent, automated investigation and remediation. Defender for Business helps you to protect against cybersecurity threats including malware and ransomware across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. It's available as a standalone offering costing $3 per user per month.


2021. NortonLifeLock and Avast merge in $8.1B deal



U.S. cybersecurity firm NortonLifeLock has acquired Czech rival Avast for $8.1 billion in order to create a global consumer security powerhouse. NortonLifeLock, formed in 2019 as a spin-off from Symantec, says the deal will create an industry-leading consumer cyber safety business and dramatically expand its user numbers thanks to Avast’s 435 million-strong customer base. Avast, founded in 1988, focuses on cybersecurity software for consumers and small and medium-sized businesses and describes itself as one of the largest security companies. However, the company has not been without controversy during its near-25-year history.


2016. Avast Antivirus acquired competitor AVG



Avast, one of our the most populer antivirus applications, is acquiring one of it’s biggest rivals, AVG Technologies, for $1.3 billion in cash. The deal will give Avast access to over 400 million devices that currently use Avast or AVG’s software. This includes 250 million PC and Mac users, and 160 million mobile users. The actual acquirement process will take a few months, but you can expect positive changes in threat detection efficiency already in the near future. Avast will be able to gather more threat data to improve user protection on PC, Mac, mobile, and even start branching out into Internet of things hardware. And Avast will have access to AVG’s Zen mobile technology that’s used to protect an entire family’s devices from just one primary device. The combo also means they’ll be able to improve technical support to business users.


2016. Microsoft released Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection


Windows already ships with built-in antivirus called Windows Defender. Currently, it’s a defensive program that looks at websites and downloads to try and stop you from getting hacked. Unfortunately, in the day and age of social engineering and spear-phishing, antivirus needs to be a little more proactive. The new cloud service Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection is supposed to be that protection for large, company-wide networks. WDATP move the focus from monitoring individual files to the machine’s behaviour as a whole—rather than searching for the actual virus, it keeps an eye on symptoms. If your machine starts connecting to weird ports or executing unusual PowerShell commands—behavior that’s out of the ordinary for the vast majority of users—WDAPT will flag it to administrators, providing an overview of current and past behavior for admins to look at. Microsoft’s also trying to take advantage of the vast Windows install base to kickstart its antivirus program. Millions of suspicious files found on machines worldwide will be run on the cloud, building a giant centralized database of malicious files, but also malicious behavior.