Avast Donates Anti-Virus Software to Schools

While users can get the basic Avast anti-virus software for free, they have to pay for the premium version. However, the Prague company is giving the premium product away to schools.

The software can protect schools from hackers and viruses that can damage entire systems. Avast is making it available not only to local schools but to public colleges and universities.

A Global Product

Avast is used by customers around the world for free, but it also sells a premium option that users can upgrade to or businesses can easily incorporate into their systems. The premium version provides tools for a central management system of all the computers and the servers. The director of strategy for Avast, Jonathan Penn, says the company wants to help schools that cannot afford the latest technology due to lack of funding.
Schools are often targeted by hackers who are looking for personal information and Avast can protect them from the vulnerabilities that come from a lack of high-quality anti-virus software. It also allows them to spend the money they would spend on an anti-virus program on other much needed items.
Having Antivast installed on the computers would reduce the amount of downtime for the system that occurs with infections. This is a benefit to staff and students alike.

What Avast Gets

Avast benefits from this program, too. They get more exposure to US businesses, but the real plus is that they can get more feedback on viruses and malware from an even bigger group. This will help them develop future products even more protected.
In the first week of the program, 238 licenses were given out. These cover around 322,000 computers and servers. Around half of the licenses went to local districts, another quarter went to elementary and high schools, 15% went to libraries, and universities got 8%.

[Image via softpedia]