Avast 6 ready for download, adds sandboxing to antivirus defense

After only a few weeks in beta testing, Avast 6 is now ready for download. If you're looking for a good, free antivirus program for your Windows computer, Avast is still one of the best options -- and version 6 adds one very powerful defense mechanism.

Sandboxing -- which allows your computer to run unknown and untrusted programs in an isolated spece where they can't harm your operating system or data -- has been added to Avast 6. It's even there in the free version, and it's a very compelling reason to take another look at Avast. Since Avast 6 can automatically sandbox programs, you're protected even if its definitions and behaviorial scanning can't tell that program is malicious. In paid versions, Avast has added a new Safe Zone designed to offer increased protection when transmitting sensitive data to banks or other Web sites.

There's also a new Web Rep tool, which works a bit like the Web of Trust browser add-on. Any site you visit is checked against Avast's reputation database, and you're informed if a site is found to be malicious or otherwise untrustworthy. A sidebar gadget has also been introduced which makes it very, very clear to even the most inexperienced of users whether Avast 6 is performing properly and provides fast access to scans and updates.

Avast 6 is also very easy on system resources, and it's compatible with 32 and 64-bit Windows versions from XP to Windows 7. You can download the new version for free at avast.com.

Tags: antimalware, antivirus, apps, avast, avast 6, Avast6, malware, sandbox, sandboxing, security, trojan, virus, windows