Premium avast! users have single-click browser sandboxing option
PRAGUE, Czech Republic – avast! users will have a one-click option to automatically run their browser in the sandbox with the new versions of the premium avast! Pro Antivirus and avast! Internet Security.
“Sandboxing the browser gives users an extra layer of protection just where they need it – at the point of entry to the internet,” said Ondrej Vlcek, CTO at AVAST Software. “With avast! 7, browser sandboxing will be readily available, and most importantly, it will be quite easy to use.”
Sandboxing allows users to completely isolate programs such as a web browser in a virtual computer, completely isolated from the rest of the computer. If the sandboxed program is hijacked, it simply shuts down, keeping the computer safe from the intruding malware. Virtualization technology is usually restricted to corporate networks.
According to AVAST Virus Lab research, 78% of new infections are contracted via the internet. As the gateway, browsers can be either attacked directly or is the avenue by which malware travels as it penetrates the computer.
“We believe virtualization has great potential to increase user security, but it has a reputation as a ‘geek only’ feature,” stated Mr. Vlcek. “By providing easy-to-use sandbox variants for the premium avast! 7 programs, we are out to change that.”
The new avast! 7 Pro Antivirus and Internet Security include additional high-security sandbox options which prevent apps that are running in the sandbox from taking screenshots or video captures. Users can also decide what private files such as documents or recently typed URLs are blocked or read-only for virtualized applications.