German company Avira famous for its antivirus software is acquired by Investcorp
Founded in 2006, Avira is a German software company mastering in the sector of the security system. The most famous product of Avira, Avira free antivirus application was developed during the 1980s by the predecessor company of Avira, H+BEDV Datentechnik GmbH. Over time it has been modified several times for Android, iOS, and Windows. Avira has also expanded its product spectrum entering the world of IoT. Avira used to support the Linux OS as well but discontinued it in 2013.
Tjark Auerbach is the founder of the company. Tjark is born in 1957 and he is currently famous as the Former CEO of Avira.
Success of Avira
Under the name of H+BEDV Datentechnik GmbH, Avira was introduced in the market in 1986. But, the software company Avira Operations GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 2006. It is a business in the field of security solutions providing software for phones, laptops, tablets, etc. It is a family business that has a market in various parts of the world.
Avira’s first and main headquarters are based on Tettnang, Germany. Apart from the country’s headquarters, the other offices are located in the USA, China, Romania, and the Netherlands. The free antivirus software of Avira became very famous and by 2012 it reached 100 million customers. Apart from software products, Avira also delivers cloud-based products. Well, every software company needs to update itself with time and it’s the motto of their sector.
In 2016, Avira become the sixth-largest antivirus in terms of market share and until today it maintains consistency. Some of the biggest partners of the company are IBM, Microsoft, Synergy Systems, Novell, etc. Avira is also famous for doing charitable work and promote art and culture apart from the growing technology.
Avira is the recipient of many prestigious awards for its brilliant and high-quality products. In 2008, it received a “gold” status from Anti-Malware Test Lab. In February 2010, Avira achieved a 99% score on a “malware on-demand” detection test conducted by AV-TEST. In 2016, it was named AV Product of the Year by AV-Comparatives.
To date, Avira experienced three major cyber attacks. In 2005, the company experienced a buffer overflow vulnerability followed by a compromise in 2010 in the Avira Management Console. And, in 2013, it suffered 0-day vulnerability that allowed attackers to get into the customer’s PC.
Main products of Avira
The main products that Avira provides for the Windows OS are Avira Free Antivirus, Avira Antivirus Pro, Avira System Speedup Free (Pro as well), Avira Internet Security Suite, Avira Ultimate Protection Suite, and Avira Rescue System. For OS X Avira provides Avira Free Mac Security that can be installed and run only in OS X 10.9 and above. Avira has free mobile security for iOS that can run on both iPhone and iPad. For Android, both free and pro versions of the software are available. The company also has Avira Phantom VPN for private networks.
Avira in the world of IoT
Entering into the world of IoT, Avira came up with a whole new approach to safeguard your house with Avira SafeThings. It is a software application that can be installed on routers and it will keep the connected devices safe in your home. With the Avira SafeThings customers don’t have to buy yet a new hardware and install it. With the use of AI and ML, Avira designed such a unique software to ensure safety at home.
Avira SafeThings performs four basic activities namely, Watches, Thinks, Acts, and Shares. First, it will tag all the connected devices at your home followed by learning their normal behavior using AI. Now, if they detect anything suspicious it will simply shut down that activity showing the user what is taking place in the network.
Acquisition of Avira by Investcorp
In April 2020, Bahrain based company Investcorp acquired Avira Holding for $180 million. By this time, Avira had over 500 million customers in various sectors including finances, online identity, malware detection, protecting private data, etc. Investcorp has a rich experience in working in the field of security and IoT and the company’s managing director said that it would help Avira expand and reach the targeted growth faster. Avira also has plans to expand in the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) segment.
Annasha Dey is an NIT student, who apart from studying engineering is also a content writer. She has a great interest in photography, writing, reading novels, and travelling as well. She is a foodie who loves socializing and hanging out with her friends. She is also a trained Kathak dancer and a big fashion enthusiast. Dey also loves watching TV series, which includes F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and Big Bang Theory. To be a better writer she prefers to read more