AVG Internet Security: A Comprehensive Review
Introduction
AVG, renowned for its exceptional free antivirus software, offers a paid subscription service called AVG Internet Security. This service augments the free version by providing a range of additional features, catering to users who seek a more comprehensive and convenient online security solution.
Pricing and Value
AVG Internet Security offers subscription plans for single-device and multiple-device protection. The single-device plan is priced at a discount during the first year, reverting to the full price thereafter. The multi-device plan supports PC, Mac, Android, and iOS devices, allowing you to extend protection to various platforms.
Compared to competitors like Norton and Avast, AVG prioritizes device coverage over extensive feature sets. Avast, despite being AVG’s parent company, charges a higher fee for a comparable plan with fewer protected devices.
Features
AVG Internet Security offers a robust set of features beyond the antivirus, firewall, web and email threat, and network protection included in the free version. These additional features include:
- Password protection for browsers
- Webcam protection
- File scanning for sensitive data
- Protection against malicious redirects (DNS hijacking)
- Defense against remote desktop protocol attacks
User Interface and Usability
AVG Internet Security features a user-friendly dashboard with a clean, intuitive design. The dashboard clearly highlights your PC’s security status and key features. Initiating scans is straightforward, with various scan types available depending on your specific needs.
The software also provides detailed settings for customization, allowing users to tweak protection levels and fine-tune individual components. However, accessing these granular controls requires navigating through the app’s menus.
Protection Capabilities
AVG Internet Security utilizes multiple layers of protection to safeguard your PC from real-time threats. It scans files, monitors app behavior, and controls access to sensitive folders. Email protection screens attachments and links for malicious content.
While browsing the web, AVG Internet Security scans incoming data for malware and redirects. It also monitors traffic between apps and provides password protection for browsers. The software additionally offers protection from remote access attacks, webcam hijacking, and microphone access attempts.
AVG’s email address monitoring feature notifies you in case of data breaches that compromise your email address.
Performance and Optimization
AVG Internet Security has minimal impact on typical PC tasks, such as video chatting, web browsing, gaming, and document editing. It also had little effect on our Handbrake video encoding test. However, running a deep scan while using Microsoft Office caused a noticeable slowdown on a budget laptop.
Advanced Features
Sensitive Data Shield is a feature that allows you to scan your system for files containing sensitive personal information. However, its effectiveness can vary, and some sensitive data may be missed.
Other features, such as performance optimization tools, are not included in the Internet Security plan and require a separate subscription. This upselling can be frustrating for paid subscribers, giving the impression of an incomplete product.
Support
AVG offers technical support through online chat and phone calls. The support pages provide useful information and troubleshooting guides. Updates for virus definitions and the app itself occur automatically but can be configured to remind you or allow manual triggering.
Third-Party Test Results
AVG Internet Security consistently receives high marks from independent organizations that evaluate security software. In recent tests conducted by AV-Test and AV-Comparatives, AVG achieved near-perfect detection rates for both malware and zero-day threats. However, it encountered some limitations in detecting sophisticated and targeted threats like malicious scripts and fileless attacks.
Conclusion
AVG Internet Security is an excellent option for users seeking a comprehensive and user-friendly security solution without breaking the bank. It offers robust protection, a clean interface, and a range of additional features. While the free version of AVG already provides substantial protection, the Internet Security subscription enhances convenience and peace of mind, especially for those who prioritize extensive device coverage.
