avast! Release History

2013-05-02

• New SecureLine component
• Screen readers compatibility improved
• Software Updater improvements
• Improved stability & performance
• Fixed glitches in UI

2013-03-07

• Fixed issue with ZoneAlarm
• Fixed issue with constant CPU frequency
• Fixed issue with video players
• Fixed issue with Virtual PC
• Added some localizations

2013-02-28

• Software Health module
• Browser Cleanup tool
• New User Interface
• Compatible with Windows 8
• Advanced Privacy Tools (avast! Premier only)
• AccessAnywhere (avast! Premier only)
• Improved Autosandbox/Sandbox technlogy
• Improved General AV performance and stability

2012-10-31

• Win8 BSOD fixed (but still investigating some issues)
• Crashes, freezes on WinXp 64b fixed
• WebRep issues fixed
• Sandbox stability improved

2012-10-23

• Full compatibility with Windows 8
• Outlook plugin stability and performance
• Browser plugins stability
• General AV performance and stability

2012-08-21

• Fixed "Black screen" syndrome
• Fixed crashes in IE WebRep module
• Fixed random switching to the Safezone
• Improved stability & performance of Outlook plugin
• Double VPS update sounds
• Fixed SNX issues
• Fixed some BSODs
• Fixed some leaks

2012-07-03

• Fixed memory leak in aswMon2 driver
• Fixed problem with random opening of the SafeZone
• Fixed SSL connection issues with SMTP
• Fixed blocking of Internet access
• Fixed missing "Additional protection" tab
• Fixed crashes in Outlook
• Fixed some BSODs

2012-06-28

• Changes in the autosandbox module
• Improvements in Remote Assistance (support for UAC prompts etc.)
• Improvements in SafeZone (protection against kernel-mode keyloggers; Updated SafeZone Browser; clipboard sharing, etc.)
• Outlook plugin redesign
• Opera support in WebRep
• SiteCorrect module for the detection of unwanted websites
• Windows 8 compatibility updates
• Emergency Updater

2012-03-07

• Improved File system speed
• Improved AutoSandbox stability
• Improved AutoSandbox controls
• Improved gadgets
• Compatibility with Win 8 Consumer Preview
• Greater stability of Outlook plugins
• Fixed a compatibility issue with offline files
• Other security and stability-related improvements

2012-02-23

• Reputation scanning via FileRep (cloud-based)
• Streaming updates
• Sandbox & Autosandbox improvements
• Remote assistance
• Browser protection improvements (including antiphishing)
• New installer
• Export/Import settings
• UI facelift
• Screensaver facelift
• Runs on Win8 Developer Preview
• Many other security and stability related fixes

2011-11-28

• Script Shield now works with Google Chrome, all versions of Firefox and Acrobat Reader
• Improvements in WebRep plugins (especially IE)
• Stability improvements in aswSP.sys and the avast! sandbox
• File system shield: improved on-close scanning
• avast! Internet Security: new antispam engine
• Web Shield and Script Shield: more options in the UI
• Added in-product avast! Market
• Various other security and stability related fixes

2011-09-07

• New Script Shield - now scanning deeper and supporting more host processes
• Web Shield now scanning all processes by default
• Stability improvements in aswSP.sys
• Better tracking of file sources
• WebRep now working in new versions of Firefox
• Under-the-hood improvements in the Behavior Shield and Sandbox modules
• Solved a compatibility problem with certain Steam-based games
• Minor improvements in the product UI
• Various other security and stability related fixes

2011-07-04

• improved compatibility with Windows Vista SP0/SP1 (activation issues)
• attempt to solve the "Windows Media Player using a red skin" problem
• Firewall: solved the compatibility problem with uTorrent
• improved load time of WebRep IE plugin
• fixed a bug in Google Chrome WebRep plugin causing excessive CPU usage
• improvements in the silent installer
• improved the CommunityIQ sample submission process
• improved detection/removal of the most stubborn rootkits (TDL family)
• various stability and compatibility improvements in the sandbox module
• added new CreditAlert feature (US customers only)
• added Thai and Serbian language packs

2011-05-11

• solved a problem in aswSP.sys that could lead to a system crash
• improved tolerance for corrupted installations
• when updating from a previous version of avast Pro/IS, SafeZone is now automatically added
• solved a compatibility problem with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Pro
• improved cleaning of rootkits
• fixes in Chrome WebRep plugin
• Behavior Shield: improved compatibility with other applications
• improvements in the CommunityIQ submission system
• various performance and compatibility improvements

2011-04-18

• solved a compatibility problem with ZoneAlarm (WinXP)
• added WebRep Chrome extension
• improved installation of the WebRep plugins (especially Firefox)
• various fixes and improvements in the avast sandbox
• setup programs now smaller by ~20%
• Community features and the Welcome screen can now be turned on/off directly from program settings
• solved a compatibility problem with Outpost firewall
• solved a bug related to the AutoSandbox offer (WinXP)
• gadget can now be removed by simply closing it
• solved a compatibility problem with GameGuard and sXe
• SafeZone improvements
• improved sandbox logging
• SafeZone is now a standalone setup package (can be installed/uninstalled separately)
• improvements in password processing
• improvements in the program uninstaller
• solved a memory leak in the avast gadget
• fixes in the File System Shield transient cache
• various stability/compatibility improvements

2011-02-23

• NEW! AutoSandbox – suspicious programs will be optionally run sandboxed
• NEW! avast! WebRep – browser plugin for website reputation rating; a combination of data from our virus lab and community voting
• NEW! SafeZone – a special virtualized area for sensitive transactions (e.g. secure online banking) (paid products only)
• Script Shield now even in the Free AV
• Site Blocking now even in the Free AV
• fixed USB Safe Removal issue
• Restore factory settings command (Settings -> Troubleshooting)
• Automatic actions in the boot-time scan
• Script Shield now functional even with IE8/IE9 Protected Mode
• Sidebar gadget
• Improved stability/compatibility of the Behavior Shield
• Improvements in the avast! sandbox
• fixes in the Outlook plugin

2011-01-13

• solved a compatibility problem with CorelDraw X5
• solved a compatibility problem with Acer control software
• solved a problem inserting a license file via the installation wizard
• solved a compatibility problem with some Dell wireless network adapter drivers
• solved a compatibility problem with Game Guard (used by a number of games)
• solved a compatibility problem with Sibelius
• solved various 0xC0000005 and 0xC000007B errors (e.g. with some .NET applications)
• issues related to upgrades from v5.0 (inactive shields, missing right-click associations, missing 64-bit boot-time scanner etc)
• solved some possible deadlock conditions (relatively rare but possible)
• performance related improvements
• various UI related improvements

2011-01-13

• solved a compatibility problem with CorelDraw X5
• solved a compatibility problem with Acer control software
• solved a problem inserting a license file via the installation wizard
• solved a compatibility problem with some Dell wireless network adapter drivers
• solved a compatibility problem with Game Guard (used by a number of games)
• solved a compatibility problem with Sibelius
• solved various 0xC0000005 and 0xC000007B errors (e.g. with some .NET applications)
• issues related to upgrades from v5.0 (inactive shields, missing right-click associations, missing 64-bit boot-time scanner etc)
• solved some possible deadlock conditions (relatively rare but possible)
• performance related improvements
• various UI related improvements

2010-12-31

• boot-time scanner now available even in 64-bit Windows
• big improvements in the Behavior Shield
• improvements in the antirootkit engine
• improvements in the cleaning module
• stability/performance improvements in the Web Shield
• CommunityIQ improvements
• added support for sound packs
• minor improvements in the user interface
• minor fixes in the firewall

2010-09-07

• solved a problem that could lead to disappearing of the avast service
• Behavior Shield: solved a minor stability issue (aswSP.sys) + solved a Win7 issue
• performance and stability improvements in the avast! sandbox
• changes in the engine allowing us to generically detect/block some new types of exploits
• speed improvements in the updater
• IS: fixed a vulnerability in aswFw.sys (Secunia Advisory SA40868)
• solved a vulnerability related to license files (Secunia Advisory SA41109)
• solved a problem with scanning of files with very long path names
• fixed the updater in East-Asian versions of avast running with Windows set to a different locale
• IS: improvements in the Outlook antispam plugin
• IS firewall: improvement in the path name matching
• IS: upgraded to the new version of antispam engine
• minor changes and fixes in the GUI
• fixes in the screen reader support
• fixed a bug where the File System Shield was scanning some files even after being disabled
• added trimming of setup.log
• added Danish, Hebrew and Urdu language packs

2010-06-28

• improved interaction with Windows System Restore; namely, avast now auto-repairs itself when it detects a corrupted VPS due to a System Restore (or other reasons)
• aswSP.sys: solved a minor stability issue
• solved a problem related to inserting of the license files
• added the activation code feature
• solved a problem when avast was progressively slowing down (especially in conjunction with the screensaver)
• performance improvements in the Behavior Shield
• avast Screen saver now accessible even in 64-bit Windows Vista
• stability improvement in aswTdi.sys (solved a compatibility problem with AVG)
• IS firewall: solved a potential BSOD condition
• various improvements in the avast! sandbox module
• minor fixes in the GUI
• added Catalan and Belarusian language packs

2010-05-06

• Solved a bug related to submission of false positives
• Improvements in the Behavior Shield (realtime antirootkit part)
• Sandbox: many functional, stability and performance improvements
• Firewall: VPN compatibility fixes (should now work even in Public zone etc)
• Firewall: solved an issue related to hang and/or crash of the afwServ.exe process
• Finally works with major screen readers (avast is now blind-friendly)
• Compatibility improvements in the Web Shield
• Various fixes in the Outlook antispam add-in
• Improved detection of droppers
• Setup program of the Pro AV now also accepts v4.x license keys
• Right-to-left support
• Added Croatian and Arabic language packs

2010-04-14

• scanning and virus chest features now accessible even from Windows Safe Mode
• aswSP.sys: solved a minor stability issue (fixed duplicating of protected handles)
• Pro AV / IS: solved file enumeration problem on FAT32 partitions
• enhanced compatibility with various Winsock LSPs
• various improvements in the avast! sandbox
• improved cleaning of file infecting viruses
• added compatibility with screen readers; avast! should now be reasonably accessible to visually impaired users
• system files imported to the virus chest after upgrade from v4.8 are now removed
• IS firewall: solved a problem related to VPN connections (Windows XP)
• IS firewall: solved a problem related to Xbox360 media sharing
• IS firewall: solved a potential BSOD condition when changing logical drive mappings
• IS firewall: solved a potential crash when saving the packet rules
• IS firewall: fixes for Internet Connection Sharing
• IS firewall: Windows 2000 compatibility
• IS firewall: solved a compatibility problem with Logitech Desktop Manager
• Pro AV / IS: solved a compatibility problem with PerfectDisk 11
• Pro AV / IS: ashCmd.exe switch /@ should work again
• Pro AV / IS: solved a compatibility issue with Acronis True Image
• various fixes in the Outlook antispam add-in
• fixes in ashUpd.exe
• minor improvements in the installer, especially when upgrading from avast v4.8
• avast! Screen saver can be now configured via the screensaver properties dialog
• minor fixes in the GUI
• added Dutch, Portuguese (Portugal), Norwegian, Finnish, Slovenian, Turkish and Vietnamese language packs

2010-03-09

• important fixes related to the installation of the firewall under 64-bit Windows
• fixed a potential memory leak in the firewall
• Vista/W7: solved a compatibility problem with System Restore
• added access keys – the program can be easily now controlled via keyboard
• solved a problem with the "I only connect to the Internet using a dial up modem" update setting
• fixed multiple issues in the sandbox (plus a few performance improvements)
• this new version is now able to communicate with avast! WHS Edition
• fixed a bug related to the inserting of license files into the program
• fixed a problem in the Outlook plugin related to inserting of notes into HTML emails
• solved a compatibility problem with SmithMicro Poser 8 and similar applications
• improvements in the submission system
• improvements in the Free AV registration system
• better handling of errors in case of real-time shield actions
• improved compatibility with Apple BootCamp
• improved default firewall rules
• low priority scans now use much less CPU (but run accordingly longer)
• components of the avast setup/update process are now digitally signed
• minor improvements in the GUI
• new language packs: Greek, Slovak and Ukrainian. This makes the current number of supported languages 19.