Endpoint protection software guards devices like smartphones against threats. It also provides greater management oversight. It isn’t hard to see why endpoint protection is such a huge, fast-growing sector of network security right now, in the age of telecommuting. These are devices that live out ‘in the wild,’ outside the protective wall of an organization’s network perimeter. So the potential for security threats is considerable, the more endpoints an organization attaches to. To that end, Avast Endpoint Protection and McAfee Endpoint Security are the subjects of this match-up.
The truth is, these are both market-leading vendors, and neither one is likely to steer you wrong. But there are differences, of course.
Avast Endpoint Protection
Avast has and Endpoint Protection for SMBs that benefits from their scalable cloud-based security infrastructure. It sees everything that happens on the internet. It gives you a view into everything online, good and bad. This gives Avast the unique advantage of being first to inspect and analyze potential threats. They prevent over 1.5 billion attacks every month, in fact. And when new malware is discovered, they can quickly deploy new security features to protect our users. This is the strength behind Avast Endpoint Protection.
Avast’s three versions of this (Basic, Advanced, and Premium) have Business Hub, from where you easily manage all your Avast security solutions in one place. Plus, there’s 7-layer deep Malware protection, Basic Remote Control, and Patch Management. Patch Management is very important because 57% of all data breaches are a result of ignoring software updates. So these features are all included in the Basic Avast Endpoint Protection.
Advanced will add Business AntiVirus Pro and Server Protection to guard your endpoints, keep your applications updated, and secure your servers. Lastly, Premium will give you Avast Business Antivirus Pro Plus and Privacy & identity protection.
McAfee is built for real-time communication between threat defenses. Events are shared across multiple technologies, and immediate actions are taken against suspicious application, files, websites and so on.
Avast features
Avast has a true firewall feature that filters network traffic and untrusted connections. It also features a Behavior Shield that stops dangerous programs and application. There’s also Web Shield, that blocks dangerous websites before they get a chance to even open.
And CyberCapture sends suspicious files for analysis by the Threat Lab. The Avast Antivirus scans files and programs before allowing them to open our run, to ensure safety from the get-go. Avast also has a very good data shredder, email shield, Wi-Fi inspector, and it also has a cool Rescue Disk that creates an external backup antivirus to salvage compromised PCs. Avast’s antivirus is particularly effective.
McAfee features
McAfee is also integrated and centrally-managed. It’s a very consolidated protection with a high degree of operational simplicity, and is a very good fit for diverse endpoint environments. McAfee also has antivirus, exploit prevention, and firewall.
Both employ machine learning, as well. McAfee’s identifies malicious code based on newly-encountered behaviors and appearances. It also has an Application Containment feature that limits the impact of zero-days by containing infected applications. And there’s web protection and filtering, and anti-ransomware and anti-greyware. McAfee also generates helpful actionable reports and threat forensics that show where infections are, This facilitates quick response.
In terms of feature sets, it’s tough to declare a winner between these two. Both support Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, but only Avast supports Linux. And both offer virus scans, a file shredder, a firewall, and lots of features to boost device performance.
However, McAfee also offers a very useful password manager and Parental Control feature. On the other hand, Avast gives you the Sandbox feature for virtual file testing and a webcam shield. This eliminates the need to cover your laptop camera with a sticker. And overall, Avast seems to affect the performance of your device less than McAfee during things like anti-malware scans. It also installs a little more quickly, and the interface is a bit more convenient.
Corporate Armor has partnered with Avast for years, and we would love to answer any questions you might have about any of Avast’s Endpoint Protection solutions. So why not email us or call Corporate Armor at 877-449-0458 and let us give you a very quick, VERY competitive quote? Thanks for reading!