Avast! Free Antivirus 2015.10.0.2206 Now Available for Download

AVAST Software has released Avast Free Antivirus 2015.10.0.2206. This new major version includes a number of new features and important improvements.

Overview
Based on the award-winning avast! antivirus engine, Avast! Free Antivirus incorporates anti-spyware technology, certified by West Coast Lab’s Checkmark process, as well as anti-rootkit and strong self-protection capabilities, but remains one of the fastest and least resource-intensive antivirus solutions available with top-notch detection ability.

Avast! Free Antivirus is based on several real-time shields which continuously monitor your email and internet connections and check the files on your computer whenever they are opened or closed. Once installed, avast! runs silently in the background to protect your computer against all forms of known malware. If everything is ok, you won’t even notice that avast! is running - just install and forget.

What are key new features in Avast! Antivirus 2015?
Avast! Antivirus 2015 introduces the following key features:
  • Avast Home Network Security scans your home network for vulnerabilities (wifi status, connected devices, router settings, weak passwords). This is quite a new approach as we are trying to discover potential problems not isolated on the particular device only, but in the entire network of devices you use or connect to the Internet.
  • Avast Secure DNS protects against DNS Hijacking. We are introducing a new provider which guards against unprotected DNS/DNS hijack on a router/client (including unsecured networks, public ones, etc.). It is supported for Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 users and included with all paid editions of Avast antivirus.
  • Avast Smart Scan integrates all on-demand scans into one (Antivirus, Software Updater, Home Network Security, GrimeFighter). One scan, different results and recommendations.
  • Avast NG is a hardware based virtualization solution to provide more isolated test space. It is capable of running each Windows process in standalone safe virtualized environment (VM) and fully integrated to your desktop. Each process is executed in its own instance of VM, which means totally isolated from your other applications. This feature now powers Avast DeepScreen to improve better scanning of unknown programs (better detections).

What is improved in Avast! Antivirus 2015?
Avast! Antivirus 2015 comes with these major improvements:
  • Avast NG is a hardware based virtualization solution to provide more isolated test space. It is capable of running each Windows process in standalone safe virtualized environment (VM) and fully integrated to your desktop. Each process is executed in its own instance of VM, which means totally isolated from your other applications. This feature now powers Avast DeepScreen to improve better scanning of unknown programs (better detections).
  • Avast Web Shield now features HTTPS-encrypted scanning. Now, we are able to detect and decrypt TLS/SSL protected traffic in our Web-content filtering component. We are using our own generated certificates that are added into the Root Certificate store in Windows and also into major browsers. This feature will protect you against viruses coming through HTTPs traffic as well as adding compatibility for SPDY+HTTPS/ HTTP 2.0 traffic. You can tune/disable this feature in the settings section.
  • Avast GrimeFighter is now partially integrated with Avast Antivirus, and included in Smart Scan. GrimeFighter 'lite' now offers free cleaning of junk files and tuning of system settings. These tasks are performed by our Zilch and Torque minions. Other minion functions still require a separate license for the full version of GrimeFighter.
  • Avast Online Security includes better browser compatibility and optimized appearance.
  • Avast Help documentation is now web-based for quicker updates and more dynamic user feedback. Paid users can easily contact support directly from the Avast GUI.

What's new in Avast! Antivirus 2015 10.0.2206?
  • HTTPS scanning - Ability to detect and decrypt TLS/SSL protected traffic in the Web-content filtering component. This feature will protect you against viruses coming through HTTPs traffic as well as adding compatibility for SPDY+HTTPS/ HTTP 2.0 traffic. You can tune/disable this feature in the settings section.
  • AVAST NG - A hardware based virtualization solution capable of running each Windows process in standalone safe virtualized environment (VM) and fully integrated to your desktop. Each process is executed in its own instance of VM, which means totally isolated from your other applications. This feature is now powering the Avast DeepScreen, resulting in better detection. Avast NG requires HW virtualization enabled.
  • SecureDNS (this feature is active in the paid versions only) - A new provider which guards against unprotected DNS/DNS hijack on a router/client (including unsecured networks, public ones, etc.).
  • Home Network Security - Scan your home network for vulnerabilities (wifi status, connected devices, router settings, factory passwords, etc.). It helps to discover potential problems not isolated on the articular device only, but in the entire network of devices you use or connect to the Internet from.
  • Smart Scan - Integrated all on demand scans into one (Antivirus, Software updates, Home Network, GrimeFighter). One scan, different results and recommendations.
    • GrimeFighter Free - GrimeFighter will offer free cleaning of junk files and tuning of system settings. These tasks are performed by our Zilch and Torque minions. Other minion functions remain as paid-for features.
  • New Support System - Easy contact for paid users to submit a ticket with all info included automatically. Improved knowledge base for free users. Help is completely online and is more up to date.
  • General bugfixing - This covers a lot of stability & performance changes in all components (but the main focus was traditionally on the network & engine components).

Download Avast! Free Antivirus 2015
Avast! Free Antivirus is 'Free of charge' for non-commercial & home use. You only need to register it with an email address once per year.

Note: You can try paid-for versions of Avast! software for 30 days, free of charge. During this trial period, you have full access to all features and technical support. You may then buy the software license or uninstall the trial program.

Sources:
Avast! Release History
Avast! 2015: Frequently Asked Questions - New Features

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