Avast Secure Browser (formerly Avast! SafeZone) is an
Avast Software
Avast Software s.r.o. is a Czech multinational cybersecurity software company headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, that researches and develops computer security software, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Avast had more th ...
web browser
A web browser, often shortened to browser, is an application for accessing websites. When a user requests a web page from a particular website, the browser retrieves its files from a web server and then displays the page on the user's scr ...
included for optional installation in the
Avast Antivirus
Avast Antivirus is a family of cross-platform internet security applications developed by Gen Digital Inc. for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Avast offers free and paid products that provide computer security, browser security, an ...
installer since 2016, but it is also available on its website. It is based on the open source
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6 element, group 6. It is a steely-grey, Luster (mineralogy), lustrous, hard, and brittle transition metal.
Chromium ...
project. It is available for
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
,
macOS
macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
,
iOS
Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...
, and
Android.
Avast Online Security is an
extension for
Google Chrome
Google Chrome is a web browser developed by Google. It was first released in 2008 for Microsoft Windows, built with free software components from Apple WebKit and Mozilla Firefox. Versions were later released for Linux, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, an ...
,
Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is a Proprietary Software, proprietary cross-platform software, cross-platform web browser created by Microsoft and based on the Chromium (web browser), Chromium open-source project, superseding Edge Legacy. In Windows 11, Edge ...
,
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation and its subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation. It uses the Gecko rendering engine to display web pages, which implements curren ...
and
Opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
browsers that has some similar features to Avast Secure Browser.
Events
2016
24 March 2016 – Avast! SafeZone Browser was launched
2018
6 April 2018 – Renamed to Avast Secure Browser and revamped
History
Initially, Avast Secure Browser was bundled with paid versions of Avast Antivirus. In March 2016, Avast started bundling it with the free version as well. Avast Secure Browser was originally called "SafeZone" before being revamped and rebranded as "Avast Secure Browser" in early 2018.
Before the revamp and rename, SafeZone's design was similar to that of the
Opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
browser.
SafeZone turned on automatically when the user visited financial or shopping sites to conduct online transactions.
In December 2015,
Tavis Ormandy identified a security vulnerability that could allow hackers to insert malicious
JavaScript
JavaScript (), often abbreviated as JS, is a programming language and core technology of the World Wide Web, alongside HTML and CSS. Ninety-nine percent of websites use JavaScript on the client side for webpage behavior.
Web browsers have ...
code into the browsers of Avast SafeZone Browser users. Avast quickly deployed a temporary fix and repaired the vulnerability a few days later.
Features
*
*
*
*
* Video Downloader: A plug-in that offers to download videos being watched by the user on selected websites. It allows the user to choose video quality and, in some cases, to download the soundtrack of the video as an audio file.
* Anti-tracking and anti-
fingerprinting
A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfa ...
: The software prevents the collection of information about the user's computer or browsing history that could be used to build a profile of the user.
*
See also
*
Comparison of web browsers
This is a comparison of both historical and current Web browser, web browsers based on developer, engine, platform(s), releases, license, and cost.
General information
Basic general information about the browsers. Browsers listed on a light purpl ...
*
List of web browsers
The following is a list of web browsers that are notable.
Historical
Layout engines
* Gecko (software), Gecko is developed by the Mozilla Foundation.
** Goanna (software), Goanna is a fork of Gecko developed by Moonchild Productions ...
*
Comparison of antivirus software
References
External links
Official Website
{{Web browsers
Secure Browser
Software based on WebKit
Cross-platform web browsers
Web browsers
2018 software
Gen Digital software