AVG launches new protection against identity theft, boosts free product protection

AVG Technologies introduced AVG Identity Protection (IDP), which gives computer users an additional layer of protection on top of their existing security software.

IDP uses behavioral analysis to make sure all the programs running on a user’s computer are operating the way they should. If it spots something suspicious that could indicate an attempted ID theft attack, it shuts that activity down, preventing any possible theft from happening. Also, IDP runs smoothly alongside all popular programs (AVG or other).

AVG Identity Protection is based around the technology AVG acquired when it bought the Sana Security company earlier this year. This technology helps to prevent identity-related attacks by analyzing the behavior and characteristics of malicious programs and using the knowledge gained to create protection that doesn’t require signature updates to stay current. The software is continuously learning and improving its protection, based on information drawn from real threats encountered by real users.

The technology in IDP has also been combined with the company’s Internet Security suite, which provides total protection for all aspects of users’ online lives. In addition to the new Identity Protection, AVG Internet Security defends against viruses, spyware, worms, hackers, botnets, poisoned web pages, trojan horses, spam, and other cyberthreats.

AVG’s Free product also gets a boost with this upgrade, adding Active Safe-Surf real-time protection to the existing capabilities. Active Safe-Surf checks the web page behind every link for hidden threats.

Identity theft is now the number one Internet-based crime and claims almost ten million online and offline victims at a cost of $48 billion in the US alone, according to the Javelin Strategy & Research, 2008 Identity Fraud Survey Report published last month.