Avast Secure Browser comes to Android

Cybersecurity firm Avast has released a version of its Avast Secure Browser for those who want a little more security built into their internet experience.

Avast Secure Browser has been a mainstay for the security platform in Windows and Mac, and this is the first time it has come to mobile.

According to Avast, the Secure Browser for Android was built from the ground up, with total encryption protecting both cybersecurity and privacy.

It uses AES-256, ChaCha 256-bit encryption, as well as the latest TLS/SSL cryptographic protocols for the data transport layer.

"To ensure that user DNS requests are kept private and secure, Avast Secure Browser for Android supports multiple DNS options straight out of the box, such as DNS over TLS, DNSSEC and decentralised DNS support," Avast states.

There is also a VPN that encrypts all inbound and outbound connection to the VPN's location; a user PIN code for device access; anti-tracking technologies that discourage websites, advertisers and other web services from tracking online activity; adblock integration, and an encrypted media vault.

Avast Secure Browser vice president and general manager Scott Curtiss says that Avast takes a privacy by design stance because it just wants to make the world safer by protecting every user's security and privacy.

"We know that our customers care deeply about security and privacy and want to be in control of their own personal data without compromising the quality of their online interactions.

He says Avast wants to be the first all-in-one browser that secures privacy and the entire browsing experience.

According to Avast Threat Lab reports, mobile device usage is creating plenty of opportunities for mobile-related malware.

Between October and December 2019, adware (software that hijacks user devices to spam them with malicious ads) is responsible for 72% of mobile malware, with the remaining 28% of threats linked to banking trojans, fake apps, lockers and downloaders, according to researchers.

To date, 131 COVID-19 related apps have been detected as malicious through Avast's apklab.io platform as cybercriminals look to exploit the pandemic using social engineering tactics," the company states.

"There is still a perception among many consumers that on mobile, internet and browser-based threats do not exist", says Curtiss.

"This is not the case. Mobile is a lucrative platform for cybercriminals because of its majority market share versus desktop and higher levels of internet traffic. In the past 12 months, we've seen adware rise by 38% on Android.

Avast says its Secure Browser will come to iOS later this year.