/ Lavasoft

Lavasoft

About Lavasoft the Company

Overview

Just a decade old, Lavasoft was one of the pioneers in the anti-adware and anti-malware movement. Today, Lavasoft continues its fight against unscrupulous computer applications and practices with a focus on fighting threats to privacy.

Lavasoft’s Roots

Back when most computer security companies were busy fighting computer viruses, the folks at Lavasoft recognized an emerging threat: malware. Adware and spyware were on the rise and none of the other computer security companies appeared to take notice. While computer users could protect themselves from viruses, they were suffering from a relentless barrage of pop-up ads and sluggish computer performance. What was going on?

Lavasoft took notice and responded with the introduction of Ad-Aware, a product that most computer users recognize as a leading anti-spyware solution. In fact, over 200 million copies of Ad-Aware have been downloaded.

Products

Ad-Aware remains Lavasoft’s flagship product. However, Lavasoft hasn’t been sitting idly by for the past decade. The Ad-Aware product has evolved over time and is available in a variety of editions. In addition, Lavasoft has also developed a complete lineup of computer security products.

Lavasoft Ad-Aware - Ad-Aware comes in several editions including Free, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise editions. Each version adds additional features. For example, Ad-Aware Plus adds protection against computer viruses and real-time protection - both features not found in the free version of Ad-Aware.
Lavasoft Personal Firewall - This product helps secure computers from hackers and other network threats.
Lavasoft Registry Tuner - The Registry Tuner software keeps computers running at their best by finding common errors in the Windows registry and repairing them.
Lavasoft Privacy Toolbox - The Privacy Toolbox is a combination product containing File Shredder and Digital Lock - two applications designed to protect private data from prying eyes.
Lavasoft File Shredder - Because deleted files and formatted hard drives are easily recoverable, it is important to completely shred electronic files or risk data falling into the wrong hands. Lavasoft File Shredder is a tool for such a purpose.
Lavasoft Digital Lock - For computer users who must store or send sensitive information, encryption is a must. Digital Lock locks and encrypts data, making it impossible for those who don’t know the password to crack the code.

How it Works

Like most computer security applications, the Ad-Aware and computer security products from Lavasoft require yearly subscriptions. Ad-Aware Free is the only free offering though each of the other products has a 30-day trial subscription. Products such as Ad-Aware require frequent updates to ensure protection from emerging threats.

Recommendations

Lavasoft remains an innovator in the malware wars. These are solid products backed by a leading computer security company. If you don’t have any defenses against spyware, the free version of Ad-Aware is often recommended. However, free versions tend to require quite a bit of user interaction and fewer defenses. Consider spending a few dollars for the Plus version of Ad-Aware.