Avast most widely used antivirus, uTorrent most popular P2P utility

[Rick]

According to Opswat, a software development company based in San Francisco, Avast continues to be the world's preferred antivirus. Avast was found on more than 16 percent of computers worldwide. For the past few years, Avast has topped the survey (pdf), but the total number of Avast users has been slowly slipping.

Opswat's data was collected via opt-in middleware, software partnerships and its own app removal utility. The sample included over 353,000 data points from systems across the globe. The reports are typically released annually in March.

Interestingly, the same top 10 antivirus utilities from last year's report are in the top 10 this year. However, their positions at the top of the list have changed slightly. Most dramatically, Microsoft Security Essentials has jumped from the bottom of that last to fourth place. Avira and AVG placed second and third, respectively.

Microsoft's Security Essentials enjoyed a 30 percent jump and showed the largest market share gains of any antivirus security product, topping 10 percent.

In North America, Microsoft Security Essentials also enjoys a comfortable lead with just over 14.5 percent. That's about 5.5 percent more than runner-up, Avast, with just over 9 percent of market.

For 2012 thus far, Symantec is tops in North America. Norton products seem to be eeking out dominance by just a couple of percentage points at 16.09 percent. MSSE follows closely behind while AVG places third.

P2P programs installed on user's computers were also included in the report. Opswat found that uTorrent was by far the most popular P2P tool on systems with a whopping 36.86 percent market share.

The next most popular P2P utility was music-centric Ares, a program which was discovered on 14.79 percent of computers in the report.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/47852-avast-most-widely-used-antivirus-utorrent-most-popular-p2p-utility.html

 

[Guest]

Correction: "In North America, Microsoft Security Essentials also enjoys a comfortable lead with just over 14.5 percent. That's about 6.5 percent more than runner-up, Avast, with just over 9 percent of market." 14.5 - 6.5 = 8. So the correct # would be 5.5

 

[Puiu]

You have to admit that Microsoft did a great job with MSE when it's used on vista/win7/win8, but avast is better on xp. I've been using MSE for a year and a half with 0 problems, albeit i do know what to avoid getting infected even without any antivirus (common sense+a bit of knowledge=fairly safe surfing).

But in the end when it comes to it Kaspersky still is the best one you can install on your computer although it's a bit too much for most people.

 

[Breech]

Been using Avast's free edition for years on all the comps in the house and have never had an issue. Combined with Comodo firewall it makes for some pretty solid security.

 

[howzz1854]

all thanks to AVG's epic fail last year that wiped out millions of people's computer overnight. ever since i've switched to AVAST on all my machines at home, my friends too.

 

[Rick]

Guest said:
Correction: "In North America, Microsoft Security Essentials also enjoys a comfortable lead with just over 14.5 percent. That's about 6.5 percent more than runner-up, Avast, with just over 9 percent of market." 14.5 - 6.5 = 8. So the correct # would be 5.5

Thank you for the correction -- I have updated the article with the correct number.

 

[Guest]

i have nis 2012 cracked, but avast is the second choice for me when/if nis will get down.

 

[psycros]

Not terribly surprising - its the best <i>free</i> solution I've tried. The full Avast Internet Security is a very nice package that can go toe to toe with Norton or Eset. It does have one issue I've come up against a number of times, however: for reasons I've never been able to figure out Avast causes noticeable slowdowns on certain PCs running 64-bit versions of Windows. I can't figure out if its some app that I've put on some of the machines or what..its very random.

 

[Guest]

I use to like Avast but MSE is still the fastest around. Remember when AVG was the fastest......now I put it in the same boat as Norton. They suck! When people bring me there PC and say its slow..9 times out of 10 they got one of those or another bloated Antivirus installed. Put MSE on it and it runs sooo smooth. Amazing Job Microsoft!

 

[Guest]

i use panda cloud myself, make sure you keep up to date with detection rates of AVs your favourite mighten be so good as i found out with MSE

 

[tonylukac]

I've always found Avast to be my fave free antivirus. It's created in a country part of my Czechoslovakian heritage, altho now called the Czech Republic, and I am part Slovak. Updates the fastest of any I've found, and its real time scanner is non-intrusive yet finds many bogus downloads. I have it on 2 partitions now. In reality I generally can get name brand antiviruses free from Frys.

 

[Guest]

I have been using Avast free antivirus in my home computer for years. As an appreciation I bought a licence for all of our company's computers.

 

[EXCellR8]

I really like the new version of Avast but i haven't figured out how to use the non-auto sandbox, if that's even possible anymore. I did notice it scans and analyzes a lot of programs and wants to run them in sandbox mode...

 

[Guest]

Avast that far ahead of AVG? According to Download.com:

AVG - 409,788,204
total downloads

Avast - 178,688,373
total downloads

If those numbers can be that far apart, then how can Avast be nearly double? I'm sure there are not over 800+million people using Avast. False advertisement shenanigans!

 

[Guest]

Avast is really goooooood.All of my friends use ut and also suggest me to once try it.
This web page is also useful.In all it is good.

 

[Guest]

Thats how many downloads AVG has EVER, not during the time period of the study. Also I have downloaded AVG before and tried it out, but after finding out that it was a bit of a system hog, used 1 Avast install file download to install on multiple computers. Can't judge just by amount of downloads alone.