Avira

Avira (before H+BEDV) is the German company created in 1986. Avira is engaged in development of anti-virus solutions: the first anti-virus software of the company - AntiVir, was born in 1988. The headquarters of Avira is located in the city of Tettnang in Germany.

Along with programs for direct protection of personal computers, the Avira company proposes solutions for protection of information networks at the different levels. They turn on products for workstations, file, mail and Web servers. Besides, there are protection programs for personal digital assistants, smartphones and the different built-in systems.

History

2020

Acquisition by NortonLifeLock company for $360 million

The NortonLifeLock company (till November, 2019 - Symantec) on December 7, 2020 announced acquisition of the well-known developer Freemium antiviruses Avira for 360 million dollars at InvestCorp investment fund to which Avira was sold in April, 2020 for 180 million dollars. Thus, NortonLifeLock redeems it for twice large sum.^[1]

The former consumer division of Symantec redeemed Avira company

NortonLifeLock is the former division of Symantec, to be exact, that its part which delivered the user information security tools. The company replaced the name after the division of corporate security (Enterprise Security) was sold for 10.7 billion dollars to Broadcom corporation.

Avira is the German developer of antiviruses whose products as of the end of 2020 are installed approximately on 30 million devices. The antivirus of the same name is most of all known as a free product which provides basic protection. However at Avira is also paid - professional - the version offering ampler opportunities on fight against malwares.

In NortonLifeLock note that acquisition will allow them to enter the Freemium products market where Avira uses a dominant position and also to accelerate expansion of a scope in emerging markets. Besides, Avira has about 1.5 million paid users who also automatically become clients of NortonLifeLock.

At Avira antivirus very old story, actually: the company was born in 2006, however developments of its flagship product were conducted with the end of the 1980th, - Oleg Galushkin, the CEO of SEC Consult Services company told. - As a free antivirus, Avira made quite strong competition to developers of commercial products of this sort. Will interestingly observe how its Freemium model will long remain now when developer the competitor specializing in commercial antiviruses redeemed. Judging by press releases, in the near future sharp changes are not expected - to users of free Avira to worry so far there is nothing.

Sale of a considerable part of business to Investcorp fund

On April 9, 2020 Avira announced agreement signature selling the most part of the business of Investcorp Technology Partners — to fund of Investcorp Bank investment group which specializes in private investments.

Terms of transaction are not disclosed, but following the results Avira was estimated at $180 million.

Investcorp will own a lion's part of Avira, at the same time the founder of Avira Tjark Auerbach, under the terms of the agreement, will reserve an essential share in the company.

In the press service of Avira said that the received investments will allow to offer saved up in decades experience, knowledge and products to the bigger number of people around the world.

Money is going to be spent for expansion of presence Avira in international market. In particular, the plans of the company are acquisitions of new different products which will allow to increase a market share, and expansion of geography of sales.

Tens of millions of people around the world use the products Avira. As TechCrunch founded in 1986 notes, the company of everything achieved. It has a set of partnership agreements about distribution of its products, including with NTT, Deutsche Telekom, IBM, Canonical and other hi-tech vendors.

For the history the company received a set of offers on purchase, both from the IT companies, and from investment funds. However any of offers did not suit it as the company wanted to save the business and to continue to develop independently it. Such terms were offered by Investcorp.

Products

For personal computers:

• Avira AntiVir Premium
• Avira Premium Security Suite
• Avira AntiVir Professional
• Avira WebProtector

For file servers:

• Avira AntiVir Server

For mail servers:

• Avira AntiVir MailGate
• Avira MailGate Suite
• Avira AntiSpam
• Avira AntiVir Exchange
• Avira AntiVir MIMEsweeper
• Avira AntiVir Domino

For mobile devices:

• Avira AntiVir Mobile

For gateways:

• Avira AntiVir WebGate
• Avira WebGate Suite
• Avira AntiVir ISA Server
• Avira AntiVir MIMEsweeper

Others:

• Avira Security Management Center

See Also

• Antivirus
• Malware

Links

• About Avira

Notes