Hot Take Avira, AVG, Avast, BullGuard will combination in future!! (Maybe)

[Lintianyun Luo]

When Gen Digital acquired Avast, AVG, Norton, and both use AvastCore (Cybercapture) I think avira will use avastcore in future too, but now I find an earth-shattering twist, avira will combination all them's tech. The Avira EPP SDK 1.0.2509 beta version completely overturns the above view, because this version enabled Avast's core local signature library engine, algo64. This algo64 is the new engine launched after Avast acquired AVG, integrating Avast technology, but it is not the original AVG engine, and the signature libraries are not the same.

First, Avast's algo64 engine is referred to as a " low-level antivirus engine " originally named algo, but in the Avira EPP SDK it is named aealgol. Its version is more recent than the Avast algo from six months ago and not much different from the current Avast 25.9, meaning that the low-level antivirus engine integrated by Avira is not significantly behind the original Avast version. aealgol is indeed loaded and activated in the EPP process.

It is worth noting that Avira only integrates a part of the avvps system, the Low Level Antivirus Engine. Other module engines of the Avast avvps system are not integrated, but those are functional module engines, and many functions are already available in the Avira EPP SDK itself. Although there are still some gaps, at least it has the 3A combined technology and BullGuard's Sentryeye proactive defense technology. It is said that the cloud-based WebShield uses Norton's intelligent URL analysis mechanism, although I am not sure whether it comes from Avast or the old Norton's WebShield technology.

Before Avira enables the Low Level Antivirus engine, the avcp-vdf folder is only about 150MB, consisting of 257 files.

After enabling the Low level antivirus engine, new files starting with 'xbva' have appeared in the folder, in addition to the Avira signature files starting with 'xbv'. These are the signature files called by avast's local Low level antivirus engine. The avcp-vdf folder has 119 more files, totaling roughly over 80 MB.

Randomly opening an NMP file clearly shows in its header that it is in the exclusive format of Avast VPS's signature database, so Avira enabling the Avast low-level antivirus engine is a certainty, an indisputable fact.

Moreover, now Avira has adopted Avast's unique method of detecting viruses. Script:SNH-gen ( avira is named TR/SNH )

Isn't this exactly the SNH technology for Avast's script-killing threat? It's just unified under the Avira naming convention. It seems it's not simply about transferring the algo engine and VPS signature database, but truly a deep integration.

In simple terms, Gen has now provided the technology to Avira.

 

[Lintianyun Luo]

This picture is from other forums, this is beta version

 

[robboman]

Interesting information, thanks for the post!

 

[Dave Russo]

Seems like Avast,Avg,(Norton)?tech,is already doing great,I don't really know but if it's not broken ,does it really need to be fixed?

 

[Jonny Quest]

Maybe to help keep up with the evolving threat landscape? I'm just hoping some of this Gen-Digital/Avira technology is eventually applied to, migrated to the F-Secure Avira SDK, as I'm still running it on two devices (for now).

 

[stonjean633]

I can say this is the making of a Consumer Titan!
Have not seen GenD in the Enterprise Leaders or what their market share is on this segment.

 

[Miravi]

Seems like Avast,Avg,(Norton)?tech,is already doing great,I don't really know but if it's not broken ,does it really need to be fixed?

Gen Digital looks to be poised to evolve further yet. Norton's migration to the Gen stack is still fairly fresh, too. They've got a lot of resources and expertise to churn out some excellent improvements and innovations. Though I'm not using a Gen product right now, I'll be looking on with much interest. Maybe they'll sell me at some point.

 

[lokamoka820]

Seems like Avast,Avg,(Norton)?tech,is already doing great,I don't really know but if it's not broken ,does it really need to be fixed?

You view the issue from the user's perspective, but if you look at it from the company's perspective, the goal is completely different.

As a user, you want a powerful and effective antivirus program, and that's true for these products. However, from the company's perspective, they monopolize the most popular antivirus software market, and currently, all free antivirus products are monopolized (except Bitdefender).

And it's not just about antivirus software. CCleaner, which had been the most popular cleaning program among users, was acquired and turned into a free version of AVG PC TuneUp.

Thus, the company dominates an entire market, controlling it as it pleases, whether by displaying ads, spying on users, or raising prices, due to the lack of competing companies.

 

[annaegorov]

Just combine everything and call it

Avast Imperial version, or The Beast, or Titan AV, or The Big Combo or Super Duper AV.... Since Gen owns it all, just make it one big happy AV

 

[Jonny Quest]

Just combine everything and call it

Avast Imperial version, or The Beast, or Titan AV, or The Big Combo or Super Duper AV.... Since Gen owns it all, just make it one big happy AV

 

[Miravi]

You view the issue from the user's perspective, but if you look at it from the company's perspective, the goal is completely different.

As a user, you want a powerful and effective antivirus program, and that's true for these products. However, from the company's perspective, they monopolize the most popular antivirus software market, and currently, all free antivirus products are monopolized (except Bitdefender).

And it's not just about antivirus software. CCleaner, which had been the most popular cleaning program among users, was acquired and turned into a free version of AVG PC TuneUp.

Thus, the company dominates an entire market, controlling it as it pleases, whether by displaying ads, spying on users, or raising prices, due to the lack of competing companies.

That about sums up much of my software stack these days. I used to be more rebellious, but Microsoft, Google, and others have really crept up on me.

 

[annaegorov]

View attachment 292432

Then it will be Kaspersky, and McAfee against the world...

 

[Trident]

It seems that Avira is running a trial, what they’ve done essentially is:

-On top of the Avira engine, also slap the Avast engine
-This doesn’t seem to be the entire engine, it seems to be the portion that is responsible for file emulation in memory (and potentially DeepScreen)
-The results from the emulation are analysed by heuristics. This explains the SNH (where H most likely stands for Heuristics). Attempting to detect scripts via definitions and signatures is a lost cause.

The design at the moment cannot be the production grade design.
It means that Avira will double emulate the files. First the Avira engine will emulate and will use the Ahead heuristic system, simultaneously Avast will emulate and will use their heuristics.

So it seems that Avira is interested in finding out which one of the two emulators and heuristic systems is more efficient.

When this happens, likely one of the two will go away.

Whether this will affect the SDK, yes, it most certainly will.
Any improvements will increase the SDK prices.

 

[Trident]

You view the issue from the user's perspective, but if you look at it from the company's perspective, the goal is completely different.

As a user, you want a powerful and effective antivirus program, and that's true for these products. However, from the company's perspective, they monopolize the most popular antivirus software market, and currently, all free antivirus products are monopolized (except Bitdefender).

And it's not just about antivirus software. CCleaner, which had been the most popular cleaning program among users, was acquired and turned into a free version of AVG PC TuneUp.

Thus, the company dominates an entire market, controlling it as it pleases, whether by displaying ads, spying on users, or raising prices, due to the lack of competing companies.

Yes, this is just another industry that due to declining profits tangles multiple companies and brands together.

Similar cases can be observed with sunglasses (Luxottica), cosmetics (L’Oreal), clothing (LVMH), appliances (Electrolux, Arçelik in Europe, Haier in China), even restaurant chains, shops and many others.

You’re buying/using <some> brand but this brand is just a stamp and a logo. This has been the case as well with AVG.

Multiple popular brands are all controlled and monopolised by one business.

The said TuneUp which was once TuneUp-Utilities.de is now Norton Utilities, Avast Cleanup, AVG TuneUp, CCleaner. It is partially bundled with Avast One as well.
Similar cases with the browser and many other offerings.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

Monopolies everywhere.

 

[TairikuOkami]

The problem with combining products is that they will lose their uniqueness. They will follow the same logic, the same company policies and in the end, their effectiveness will suffer. They were bought for a purpose and that purpose will be slowly eliminated. AdwCleaner or CCleaner are not what they used to be and that is the direct consequence.

 

[New_Style_xd]

With everything that has been said here in the forum, I've come to the conclusion that AVAST, or the Gen Digital group, has surpassed them in everything with the merger of several brands; neither Kaspersky nor Eset can beat that.

 

[Nunzio_77]

Con tutto quello che è stato detto qui sul forum, sono giunto alla conclusione che AVAST, o il gruppo Gen Digital, li ha superati in tutto con la fusione di diversi marchi; né Kaspersky né Eset possono fare di meglio.

Bitdefender??

 

[lokamoka820]

With everything that has been said here in the forum, I've come to the conclusion that AVAST, or the Gen Digital group, has surpassed them in everything with the merger of several brands; neither Kaspersky nor Eset can beat that.

I don't think so, while all Gen D products are strong in one way or another, they have all lost their reputation at least once in the past, which in my opinion is difficult for any security product to regain, and sometimes I feel like Gen D is a practical application of the well-known saying: Misery loves company.

 

[Sorrento]

Now, none of the Gen D products (clones) would be on my choice of AV, & I've used most if not all of them but Ike most things in life such as cars, loudspeakers & ladies, its personal choice