Comparison Of Avast And McAfee Antivirus For Information Security

Types of Security Products

Security products allows organization to protect the computer and the data stored within the organization (Host et al. 2018). This also helps in maintaining the integrity, authentication and availability. The report will discuss about two chosen security product. There are several types of security products. The aim of the security product is to provide security towards the software or towards the cyber security software.

These provides defence towards unauthorized access and the intrusions caused to the resources available within the computer and hence is known as computer security (Hasting et al. 2017). The most common attacks that are faced by the software are stack and buffer overflow attacks, command injection and SQL injections. In order to overcome these attacks, it is necessary to improve the way of programing and using the security products. With implementation of better firewall, the security level provides to a system will get enhanced.

The aim of the report is to discuss about the security products and the working of the security products. The report provides the description and comparison of two security products which are Avast and Macafee. The comparisons and the evaluation of the products have been described in the report efficiently.

Types of Security Products

      Security products are developed in order to improve and enhance the information security provided to a computer (Pulignano and Keune 2015). This is necessary to implement security products so that it can provide better defencing capability for the computers against unauthorized access and intrusions of the resources. There are several types of security products, this are as follows:

1. Firewall: a firewall is used to provide security towards network and software. These aims at monitoring the activity and based on the security rules controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic. The working of the firewall includes creating a barrier between authorized internal network and unauthorized external network. There are basically two types of firewalls, this are host based firewalls or network firewalls.
2. Ransomware prevention: ransomware is a malicious software that threats the victim of publishing the private data or blocking from accessing the data unless the ransom is paid to them (Macfarlane et al. 2017). Thus it becomes necessary to develop software that will help in preventing these activities. Thus ransomware prevention is being used as a security product. There are several types of ransomware prevention tools, this are as follows:

• Avast free ransomware decryption tools
• Trend micro ransomware file decryptor
• Trend micro screen unlocker tools
• BitDfender anti ransomware

1. Antivirus software: The software us developed to detect and remove the viruses that are effecting the performances and data stored with in the computer. The modern antivirus can protect the computer from browser hijackers, key loggers, Trojan horse, spyware and many more (Gan and Yang 2015). Some of the products also offers protection from threats that are likely to get generated with other computers.
2. Anti-spyware: anti spyware is a tool that is being created in a way that it can detect and remove all the unwanted spyware programs. This is software type installed within a system and is further used to gather all the information within the system. This is done without the knowledge of users. This poses a great threat towards the information of the user. The other name for anti-spyware is spyware. This detects the spyware with the help of rules set.
3. Anti-malware: these software aims at protecting the system against the infections caused by different types of malware. Anti-malware software can be easily installed within the user’s system, dedicated network appliance and gateway server. This software can also be purchased as a cloud service, such as McAfee’s cloudAV product. The antimalware works by following three strategies so that they can protect the system from malicious software’s. The strategies include detecting the signature based malware, detection of malware based on the behaviour and sandboxing.
4. Access control: the security technique involved with the access control includes regulating the activity and controlling who can view what type of resources in an environment of computing (Ruj, Stojmenovic and Nayak 2014). This helps to reduce the risk and also helps to maintain proper functioning within the organization. This is the basic concept associated with providing security towards the information stored within an organization.
5. Security information management: SIM is basically a technique that involves gathering, monitoring and analysing the security based data from a computer records. This is used to automate the practice. The security information includes every kind of data starting from antivirus software, intrusion prevention system, intrusion detection system and many more.

Choice of Products

            For the discussion of the security products anti-viruses have been selected. Anti-viruses’ software is developed with the aim to prevent, detect and remove the malware. This was being developed so that the computer viruses can be easily detected and removed (Choi, Lim and Sabharwal 2015). There are several identification methods for identifying the malware which are used as antivirus engine, this are as sandbox detection and data mining techniques.

Signature based detection: this is a traditional anti-virus software that completely depends upon the signatures for identifying the malware. Once a malware is detected and sent to the antivirus firm than it is being analysed by the malware researchers. After determining the malware, a proper signature is being added with the database.

Heuristics: There are several types of viruses that replicates in order to produce dozens of different strains, this are known as variants. Removing several threats after detection is known as generic detection.

Rootkit detection: with the use of anti-virus software one can scan rootkits. The rootkit malware aims at gaining control over a system from administrative level without being detected. This can change the working of operating system. Moreover, it is very difficult to remove the rootkits.  Sometimes it leads to reinstallation of the whole operating system.

The issues that comes with the implementation of anti-viruses are unexpected renewal costs (Luft et al. 2015). With purchasing the antivirus software, the user license developed includes clause that involves automatically renewal with time. For example, McAfee users need to unsubscribe at least 60 days before the present session gets expired, whereas the Bitdefender sends notification to the users from 30 days’ prior for renewal. The Norton Anti-Virus gets renewed automatically with time. In this paper, the discussion is going to done on two tools, this are Avast Free Antivirus and McAfee internet Security. Avast free antivirus is developed from the software AVAST.

Choice of Products

This is among the best antiviruses program for software that are free to download. This is a set of complete tool that helps in protecting the software from the threats that are likely generate from the internet, local files stored within the software, email and many more. This is the safest antivirus and also comes free of cost. This works for detecting the viruses and spywares and then removing the detected spywares. The second product chosen is the McAfee Internet security. This is a solid antivirus suit that helps in protecting multiple of devices across multiple platforms.

Avast Free Antivirus

            Avast antivirus belongs to the family of internet security. This was basically developed for providing service to the Microsoft windows, macOS and android by Avast. The product provided by these security product is free and provides several versions that includes browser security, anti-phishing, computer security and many more (Kang and Saiedian 2017). Till year 2017 Avast is among the top antivirus holding largest share of market for the applications of antiviruses. Avast includes a wide range of products. Among all the products offered by Avast under Microsoft windows Avast free Antivirus is a product. The paper aims at discussing the features provided by Avast free antivirus. Avast free antivirus provides fully functional antivirus, heuristic engine and antispyware.

This includes providing a real time protection towards the files, web surfing, email, P2P transfer. This works by scanning the browsers plugin so that they can determine the installation with poor reputation or with malicious data. Avast free antivirus is set free for home usage and for non-commercial purposes. The Avast free antivirus is being around a long time and has provided an excellent behaviour. This provides all the features that a user hopes from an antivirus. This is best for windows computer. The main feature of this product is that it includes antivirus, provides a manager for password and allows Wi-Fi security scanner.

There are some issues that are faced while installing this antivirus. While installing the Avast free antivirus, the software asks the user to install the free Google chrome browser and IE toolbar faster. These are not required, once the user unchecks the boxes that contains the list of the interested software. The user needs to register first for using the antivirus for more than 30 days. The user needs to re-register every year for free, so that they can enjoy the working of antivirus (Valdi et al. 2015).  In order to use these product, the user needs to register with this product for 1 year. The product offers features:

• Allows on-access protection from malwares and viruses.
• This includes a heuristic engine that helps in detecting the threats that effected the software previously.
• This also provides a feature that enables the sound system while the user is accessing other functions that involves working on full screen, such as gaming.
• The installation process associated with this is very easy.
• These aims at providing best security and has record of providing excellent protection towards the system from viruses.
• These system works best with windows 10, 8, 7, Vista and XP.

Mcafee Internet Security

            The antivirus McAfee Internet security provides a solid antivirus suite that aims at providing protection for unlimited number of devices across multiple platforms (Inan et al. 2016). The 2016 edition of McAfee Internet Security provides feature that enables scanning malware and this comes with only premium products such as file shredder and password manager. The basic line for the defense provided by the McAfee Internet Security is to compare the malicious code with already existing database of known malware code.

Avast Free Antivirus

This also helps analysing the suspicious behaviour with the help of real time scanner. The working of McAfee Internet Security includes detecting the malware, as soon the malware is encountered within a computer having McAfee software the McAfee Global Threat Intelligence starts preparing network that will be used to fix the malware and distributes it to the users (Von Solms and Roussel 2015). The update is sent on daily basis.

There are some specific tools installed within the McAfee Internet Security for detecting the malware, malicious websites and spam emails. The user can choose folder or drive which the user wants to scan. The scanning is done quickly. The user can schedule the scanning according to their need. The security feature offered by McAfee Internet Security is that it provides a firewall and parental controls. The control of these antivirus can also be set to block inappropriate images search results. The settings offered by parental control settings these are password protected. McAfee Internet Security includes a vulnerability scanner that is used to check the unimplemented software updates and is used to scan all the local networks so that they can easily identify which systems are protected.

The features offered by the product are it allows cloud based threat analysis that helps in protecting the software without slowing down the system. McAfee Ransom guard is used to monitor and neutralize the Ransomware before it starts affecting the device. With the help of McAfee web browsing can be done in a safe way, the system provides with clear warnings of risky websites, files and links (Takieddine and Sun 2015). This helps the user’s system to run it like new and also blocks auto play video on websites and also minimizes the use of bandwidth. In addition to all this, McAfee antivirus also provides free customer services via chat, phone or online. With the help of password manager one can easily secure and manage the password with the use of multi factor password manager app.

Tests for comparison

            For the Evaluation of the Avast Free Antivirus Security tool and the Macafee Internet Security Malware Protection Test, the Performance Tests and the Malware Removal Tests Have been considered. In the Malware Protection test the malicious files are being executed in the system and Malware protection test, the main vectors are the network drives and the USB devices (Hasting, Hortacsu and Syverson 2017).

The main assessment is done for checking the ability of the product to detect the infection of the malicious files in the software and also the infection level of the system is tested before and after the malicious file has been executed. Before the malicious files are being executed all the samples of tests are generally subjected to on demand and access by the security programs. In situations where the product is does not prevent any type of changes to the system then it is to be considered that it is a miss by the program. In situation where the help of the user is required by the product, it is considered a user-dependent event.

Mcafee Internet Security

            In addition to this, the performance test is used for the evaluation of the impact on the product on the performance of the system on which it is installed (Gupta 2018). For the test machine with Intel Core i3-4005U CPU, 4GB of RAM and HDD hard disks was considered and this was considered as a low-end device. A clean Windows 10 RS3 64-Bit system and the active internet connection was made for the test. The other factors that would be affecting the performance of the system was taken care of.

 The actions such as file copying, achieving of files were done.  The test would be providing the results of the impact on the performance of the system and security product would be compared with the other security products. In addition to this, the malware removal test is to be performed and Good malware detection is very important for maintenance of safety on the system. For the test the samples are entered in to the system and the results depend on the detection of the malwares. However, if the anti-virus is unable to detect any type of mal ware it obviously would not be able to remove the malwares and hence, the security product is judged on the basis of the ability to remove the malwares.

Comparison of Avast Free Antivirus and Macafee Internet Security

            The comparison of the Avast Free Antivirus and Macafee Internet Security is provided below (Sjostrand and Westberg 2017):

McAfee	Avast Free Antivirus
McAfee offers a variety of features and extra utilities within the suite.	Avast free antivirus also offers a variety of security based features.
McAfee provides full protection towards the user’s system. Moreover, the company also includes security package and has earned several awards. This has lead them to be on the top of antivirus industry. The company associated with the McAfee provides 100% guarantee to their customer and ensures that they will remove any kind of virus whenever it will hit the user’s system. The user can block viruses, ransomed and malware with keeping the identity safe. The company offers better security and also better package to their customer then Avast free antivirus.	Avast free antivirus uses its intelligent antivirus detect to determine the threats and eliminates this threat from occurring. In addition to this, the security feature provided by them is the WiFi inspector. Avast free antivirus sends monthly security alerts about the user account, so that they can understand the working of the antivirus.
McAfee offers same setup process and the user can easily buy from company website. The layout provided by the customer is tough.	Avast free antivirus provides an interface that is designed to provide effortlessly security with the use of dashboard is simple, clean and eye catching. The software download and usability is easier than McAfee. It allows easy commands to access and security system runs on its own without the need of users.
Mcafee provides a better value towards the money. The subscription offered to the customers are simple and with less money that is with $29/year with protection costs $54.99/year.	There are 3 main business plans this are business antiviruses, business antiviruses pro, and pro plus that comes at $39.99,$49.99 and $59.99 per year respectively.
Mcafee offers better customer support than the Avast free antivirus. Mcafee provides 24/7 chat option with the help of phone and also allows to register with email.	Avast free antivirus is having a solid frequently asked question section and also free hotline, but there is no option for live chat option for this website.

Conclusion

            The above report has discussed about the security products and the working of the security products. There are numerous types of security products. The paper has described the aim of the security product. The types of security products have been described with the featured provided by each products. The main motive is to provide security towards the software or towards the cyber security software. The later part of the report has discussed about the security products anti-viruses have been selected.

This was being developed so that the computer viruses can be easily detected and removed. The paper describes the features provided by anti-virus. Anti-viruses’ software aims at providing better prevention, detection and removal of the malware. The report has discussed about two antiviruses suites these are McAfee antivirus and Avast free antivirus. The problems come along with implementing antiviruses are unexpected renewal costs. The user can purchase antivirus software with user license that includes automatically renewal with time.

This is very much necessary to understand the working of both the security product of the antivirus software. Whereas Avast antivirus belongs to family of internet security. This was developed with the aim of providing service to the Microsoft windows, macOS and android by Avast. The product provided by these security product is free and provides several versions that includes browser security, anti-phishing, computer security and many more. The last part of the report has compared two antiviruses with all the features offered by them. From the above report and the comparison, it can be stated that Mcafee provides better feature than the Avast fee antivirus.

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