there is a new beta version ready - 21.6.2471 (build 21.6.6393).
What’s new
We’re very excited to announce that Firewall will soon become a free feature in Avast Antivirus. It’s very satisfying for us to realize all the network knowledge and expertise that was put into building our proprietary firewall will be materialized in a feature available to so many users around the world — strengthening our mission to provide amazing protection against cyber threats worldwide.Of course, the release of such a critical feature won’t happen instantly for the user base as a whole. It will take us a few weeks to continuously roll it out for everyone. For now, all of our dedicated beta users will have a chance to enable it by themselves. You can do so from the post update screen (that will be shown once you get an 21.6 update) or through settings (Menu → Settings → Firewall). Free firewall will feature:
Brand new UI (compared to our current one)
Automatic profile selection (with the option for the user to override it, of course)
Application overview / control (overview of apps that actively use network/internet plus their current network usage)
Revamped ask mode (ability to enable/disable specific connections originating from the app)
Status log (you will clearly see every app and device that was blocked by our Firewall, as well as why it was blocked)
Customizable rules for “hardcore users”. We will keep an advanced, premium firewall tier as well, which will have extra protection layers of: ARP spoofing detection, Port Scan Detection and Leak Protection for public networks.
There are some known issues with this first public version:
FW is running even when you enable Passive mode
FW is installed when you’re upgrading from Free to Premium even when you uninstalled it manually from the Free product previously
FW rules can be deleted even when they are “locked” in the UI (it’s just an UI glitch, the core rules won’t actually be deleted)
FW blocks SMB shares, printers, networks shares and network drivers after additional installation into the Free AV — the current workaround is to change the network configuration to private/disable FW
FW might block some outgoing windows traffic
SmartScan sometimes incorrectly reports the Firewall’s state.
Most of the above should be fixed by the upcoming beta release in a few days. Please, do play with this new tool of ours and let us know your feedback. Thanks!
Other news
Avast now sports a refreshed new menu that will ease the differentiation between AV features and other products
What was fixed
Fixed issue with consent dialogue displayed in the wrong user session in case there is more users working on the same PC via RDP
Known issues
UI might crash when there is a request for showing a dialogue immediately after Log in into the OS
There is a glitch in UI when you try to disable all core shield via advanced settings
Enjoy this beta!
We are looking forward to your feedback.
[b]Also please be informed that we would appreciate if you would be so kind and try our Antivirus product based on so called “icarus” setup (installation and update engine) already used for other Avast products but now available also for AV. More information is here: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=264883.0.[/b] Please note that in order to get it, you need to uninstall the current one (automatic migration is not supported at the moment).
Thanks for the new beta. On icarus channel still no beta update though.
For the giveaway of the firewall component, it must be quite a big decision for the Avast guys and as a long-time user it is quite welcome.
But you guys have to be really careful to how distribute FW components to Free users, or you’ll get plenty of complaints like “Avast is doing something on its own”, “I don’t authorize Avast to do it”, bla bla bla… remember what happened when Secure Browser (SafeZone Browser at the time) went Free without former notice?
Does this get rid of the scroll fest called the geek:area and for gods sake document this hidden area, what’s the point otherwise ?
Undocumented and hidden makes the whole thing pointless.
Hey, i was wondering what about the users that are using a 3rd party firewall? Now that avast is bringing it to their free AV too how will it impact those users?
No doubt in the same way as it does with other 3rd party AVs, a choice will need to be made as to which one you want to be the active one. No doubt you will either be able to choose which components you want (including the FW) to install in Avast or disable the firewall in the settings, like other avast free components.
Or Via the Windows Security Centre
However you might want to read the first post in this topic again, particularly those relating to the Firewall (FW)
There are some known issues with this first public version:
- FW is running even when you enable Passive mode
- FW is installed when you're upgrading from Free to Premium even when you uninstalled it manually from the Free product previously
- FW rules can be deleted even when they are "locked" in the UI (it's just an UI glitch, the core rules won't actually be deleted)
- FW blocks SMB shares, printers, networks shares and network drivers after additional installation into the Free AV — the current workaround is to change the network configuration to private/disable FW
- FW might block some outgoing windows traffic
This FW addition to Avast Free I’m sure is going to be a welcomed development, however it will also be somewhat glitchy until the roll out is fine tuned and completed.
I’ve been quite happy with the firewall that’s available in Windows 10.
Avast will need to convince me that their somewhat basic free version is
better than the one already part of Windows 10.