Webcam Security: How to Stop Your Camera from Being Hacked
Webcam hacking and extortion is real. Find out if your webcam has been hacked, how to protect yourself and avoid living your own 'Black Mirror' nightmare.
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Award-winning virus protection
Get free antivirus software that offers world-class protection against viruses and other malware, secures your Wi-Fi network, and strengthens your privacy. Over 400 million users worldwide trust Avast to protect them.
2022 Best Protection
2022 Top Rated
Safe browsing and emailing
Home Wi-Fi network security
Easy to install, effortless to use
30+ years of cybersecurity experience
World-class virus protection for any device
Looking for Avast One instead?
Avast One gives you our award-winning antivirus software, plus some of our best privacy and clean-up tools, together in one handy download.
6 layers of antivirus security
Sometimes your operating system’s built-in protection isn’t enough. Adding Avast’s free antivirus software lets you run automatic smart scans on software, files, and apps to find cracks where malware can slip in, plus send suspicious files for analysis in the cloud, get threat alerts, and more.
Smart Scan
Scans your device for hard-to-find vulnerabilities in hidden places.
CyberCapture
Automatically sends suspicious files for analysis in the Cloud, then pushes a cure to Avast users if needed.
Behavior Shield
Alerts you immediately if any of your apps start behaving suspiciously.
File Shield
Alerts you to any suspicious files — before you open them.
Rescue Disk
Scans your device while your system’s switched off, so you can safely remove malware.
Quarantine
Stores potentially harmful files and completely isolates them from the rest of your operating system.
Avast Free Antivirus offers you even more
Avast Free Antivirus is more than just an antivirus software. It also includes these privacy and security features:
Wi-Fi network security
Connect safely and with confidence, even on unsecured or public Wi-Fi networks. Block hackers and intruders from piggybacking on your network and stop them from accessing your sensitive, personal files.
Network Inspector
Connect safely and with confidence, even on unsecured or public Wi-Fi networks. Block hackers and intruders from piggybacking on your network and stop them from accessing your sensitive, personal files.
Firewall
Our intelligent firewall monitors all network traffic between your PC and the outside world and blocks malicious intrusions.
Safe browsing and emailing
Stay safe when browsing, emailing, or working online. Block malicious websites & unsafe downloads, and stop your device from being hijacked and made part of a botnet.
Botnet Shield
Protect your device against malware that allows hackers to control it and turn it into part of a bot network. Bot networks are used to send spam, steal data, distribute ransomware, commit fraud, and other potentially illegal activities.
Web Shield
Web Shield protects users from visiting a malicious website by blocking the websites when it detects any kind of malicious code or malware on sites.
Mail Shield
Mail Shield alerts you to potentially malicious email attachment before you click on them.
Ransomware protection
Stop hackers from accessing, changing, or locking your personal files then holding you to ransom.
Ransomware Shield
Keep your information safe. Don't let your personal photos, files, and documents become hostage to ransomware — automatically prevent untrusted applications from modifying, deleting, or encrypting them.
Data leak alerts
Get an alert if any passwords linked to your email account have been compromised.
Hack Alerts
Keep your email accounts and their passwords secure. If any of your email passwords have been part of a leak or hack, you’ll get an alert, allowing you to re-secure your account immediately.
Over 400 million users trust us with their digital lives
The UI for your software - amazing. Great work over the years. Can't say enough good things!
Ryan R.
Thank you, Avast, for the excellent work you do. I run your antivirus software on both my Mac OS X and my Windows machines. You have the best products on the market, period.
Eric S.
I’ve been using Avast for over a year and have found it one of the best free software protection devices on the market.
Daryl C.
“The well-known security specialist Avast received a total of three awards for its outstanding performance...shows how reliably and securely the security software renders its service...”
Awarded Top‑Rated Product 2022 by AV‑Comparatives
Easy to install, effortless to use
Avast’s antivirus software scans for security and performance issues and helps you to fix them instantly. It also protects you in real time by analyzing unknown files long before they reach your device. And it’s free — so give it a try.
Free download
Free download
Free download
Free download
How to install
Get protected right away by following these 3 easy steps:
Step 2
2. Open the file
Open the downloaded file and approve the installation.
Step 3
3. Install the file
Run the installer and follow the simple instructions.
System requirements
All devices require an internet connection for automatic security and program updates.
PC with Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, or 7 (both the 32 and 64-bit versions, excluding Starter and RT editions), 1 GB RAM and 2 GB of hard disk space.
Mac running macOS 10.12 (Sierra) or later.
Android phone or tablet running operating system Google Android 6.0 (Marshmallow, API 23) or higher.
iPhone or iPad running iOS 12.0 or higher.
FAQs
Is there a 100% free antivirus?
Yes, there are various free antivirus software, although not all of them will provide you with full protection. Avast Free Antivirus is completely free and offers all the security you need.
What does antivirus software do and how does it work?
Trusted by over 435 million users around the world, Avast uses advanced machine learning techniques to protect against ransomware attacks and other emerging threats. Avast Free Antivirus software detects, blocks, and removes all types of malware: viruses, adware, spyware, Trojans, and more. You’ll also get security for your Wi-Fi network and real-time defense against phishing attacks, unsafe websites, and other threats to your devices.
Is Avast Antivirus really free?
Avast Free Antivirus really is free — you’ll never need to pay for it and it’ll provide you with essential online security and protection. If you’re looking for more security and privacy features, our Avast Premium Security software is the right product for you.
Will Avast Free Antivirus software affect the performance of my device?
Avast Free Antivirus software keeps your PC safe in real time without slowing it down. Get world-class protection against malware, phishing attacks, Wi-Fi threats, and more with our advanced cybersecurity tool that’s both comprehensive and light on your system’s resources.
Looking for a performance boost? Speed up your PC and get rid of unnecessary files with Avast Cleanup Premium, or protect and optimize your PC all at the same time with Avast One.
Looking for a performance boost? Speed up your PC and get rid of unnecessary files with Avast Cleanup Premium, or protect and optimize your PC all at the same time with Avast One.
How do I detect and remove viruses and other malware?
Avast’s free antivirus software detects and blocks all types of malware in real time to prevent them from infecting your computer. At the same time, it scans your PC to remove viruses and other malware automatically before they can do real damage.
If you’re up for a challenge, you can also try to remove viruses and malware the old fashioned way.
If you’re up for a challenge, you can also try to remove viruses and malware the old fashioned way.
Why is Avast one of the best free antivirus solutions?
Avast’s free antivirus software combines cutting-edge, AI-driven cybersecurity with a massive threat-detection network of over 435 million users that lets us protect our entire community in real time against online threats whenever they appear.
Our industry-leading antivirus engine is just one of the many reasons why Avast Free Antivirus consistently earns high praise and top awards from PCMag, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, and other independent experts. We have one of the best antivirus software solutions available, because we have the right antivirus protection for all your needs.
In 2021, Avast released a new and enhanced product called Avast One, which is now available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, France, and Germany.
Our industry-leading antivirus engine is just one of the many reasons why Avast Free Antivirus consistently earns high praise and top awards from PCMag, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, and other independent experts. We have one of the best antivirus software solutions available, because we have the right antivirus protection for all your needs.
In 2021, Avast released a new and enhanced product called Avast One, which is now available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, France, and Germany.
Why is Avast Free Antivirus even better than Windows Defender?
Now known as Microsoft Defender, Windows Defender isn’t enough to match leading third-party PC antivirus programs. While it’ll keep your computer relatively safe against most types of malware, its anti-phishing protection is limited to Microsoft Edge — so you’ll need Avast Free Antivirus to protect you on other browsers like Chrome and Firefox. Microsoft Defender also doesn’t score quite as highly with independent testing labs like AV-Comparatives. For comprehensive threat protection on your PC, go with Avast — the world’s most trusted antivirus.
Visit our Support Center for more FAQs
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