Digital threats are evolving faster than many organisations and consumers realise. Today’s attackers don’t always rely on obvious malware or brute-force attacks – they leverage deception, scale and trusted platforms to trick users into revealing credentials, downloading malicious content or interacting with scam infrastructure.

In 2025, independent cybersecurity testing institutions recognised this reality by awarding top marks to several of Gen Digital’s brands – including Avast – for delivering protection that works in real-world conditions. At the same time, new research from Gen’s Threat Labs reveals just how deep scams have penetrated mainstream online ecosystems, especially through advertising on social platforms.

Award-winning protection: Avast in the spotlight

In 2025, products from across the Gen Digital portfolio – including Avast, Norton, AVG and Avira – were honoured with a total of 16 independent awards from leading third-party testing organisations such as AV-Comparatives, AV-Test and AVLab. These recognitions spanned critical categories like real-world protection, advanced threat defence, performance impact and malware remediation.

For Avast specifically, this included:

Gold ratings for real-world protection, reflecting excellence in defending against threats encountered in everyday use.
Recognition as a Top-Rated Product across multiple tests.
Strong performance in independent lab evaluations for malware detection and system impact, which signals robust security without slowing devices down.

These accolades validate Avast’s security engine and threat-response technology – not just in controlled environments, but against the varied and unpredictable attacks users see online every day.

Why independent recognition matters

Receiving awards from respected, neutral security labs isn’t merely ceremonial. These organisations evaluate cybersecurity products under real threat conditions, testing how well they detect, block and respond to sophisticated malware, phishing, ransomware and other attack vectors.

For consumers and businesses, these awards are a signal that:

The technology has stood up to rigorous, transparent testing;
Protection works consistently across platforms and device types; and
Performance remains efficient even while running powerful defence processes in the background.

In other words, these recognitions indicate reliability – something that matters when a single breach can lead to data theft, financial loss or costly downtime.

The scam landscape: how attackers reach victims at scale

While protection technology improves, attack methods adapt. The “Scam Ad Machine” research from Gen Threat Labs lays bare a growing threat: malicious and scam-linked ads on major social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Over a 23-day study, researchers analysed 14.5 million ads across Meta’s platforms in the EU and UK and found that nearly one in three pointed to scam, phishing or malware infrastructure. More than 300 million scam impressions were delivered in less than a month.

Alarmingly, this wasn’t random or isolated. A small number of advertisers – just 10 entities – accounted for over 56% of these scam ads, and many of the campaigns reused the same malicious infrastructure, domains and messaging patterns.

Read: Avast Business: a complete, modern security stack

This illustrates two key dynamics:

Scale of abuse: Once embedded into an advertising ecosystem, scam infrastructure replicates rapidly and reaches wide audiences.
Systemic weakness: Enforcement and takedown processes struggle to keep pace, so scams persist even after individual ads are removed.

The method isn’t always technical exploits but social engineering – persuading users to click, interact or trust what appears legitimate. These scam ads can lead to phishing pages, fake online shops, credential harvesting or malware distribution.

How Avast products help protect users

Avast’s security suite is designed to counter threats like this by combining multiple layers of protection:

Real-time threat detection: Advanced machine learning and behavioural analytics scan downloads, sites and interactions to flag suspicious activity long before damage occurs.
Web and e-mail protection: With phishing and malvertising increasingly delivered through ads and links, Avast’s web shields block known scam URLs and suspicious connections.
Lightweight background defence: Independent lab results show Avast’s engine defends threats without significantly slowing systems – an important factor for both consumers and businesses.

These features, validated by awards and independent testing, are critical in environments where scams increasingly hide inside familiar interfaces, feeds and advertising channels.

Cyber safety in 2026 and beyond: what users should know

As cybercriminals adapt, digital protection must evolve, too. Recent research indicates that schemes once isolated to sketchy websites now exploit mainstream delivery systems – from mainstream advertising networks to social engineering via trusted platforms.

Users and organisations must adopt a proactive, layered defence strategy:

Stay updated with security software that evolves with threat trends.
Educate users about deceptive ads and deepfake content.
Employ identity and privacy protections alongside malware defence.
Monitor emerging risk vectors like malicious ads and AI-generated scams.

Avert IT Distribution: your partner for Avast and Norton in Africa

For businesses and resellers across Africa, accessing world-class cybersecurity solutions like Avast and Norton is made far easier through Avert IT Distribution, offering local licensing support, technical enablement, training and reseller assistance tailored to the continent’s unique needs.

Partnering with Avert IT Distribution is more than a procurement path – it’s a strategic advantage. With nearly two decades of experience distributing cybersecurity and IT solutions, AvertITD provides the expertise, commercial guidance and regional insights that help resellers bring award-winning protection to customers across Africa. Whether you’re serving SMBs, enterprises, public sector clients or home users, Avert can help you expand your portfolio with trusted, independently validated security technologies.

Resellers interested in offering Avast or Norton products can contact Avert IT Distribution for support, partner programmes and licensing options that align with local business environments.

Recognition meets reality

The 2025 awards and independent analyses underscore an important truth: great cybersecurity technologies – like those developed by Avast – matter, but they also face a relentless, evolving threat landscape. Scam ads, phishing schemes and industrial-scale fraud campaigns are not fringe problems; they are central to how attackers reach victims today.

By combining independently validated protection with deep threat intelligence, Avast and its Gen Digital siblings are building security tools that work where threats occur – in real time and at scale. And with regional partners like Avert IT Distribution bringing these solutions to African markets, businesses and users across the continent can access world-class cybersecurity backed by local expertise and support.

Read: Avast introduces pay-as-you-go billing for more flexibility

In a world where scams and attacks are becoming indistinguishably woven into everyday digital experiences, robust protection isn’t just valuable – it’s essential.

About Avert IT Distribution
Avert ITD combines global cybersecurity technology with strong regional expertise, offering localised licensing, commercial flexibility and partner enablement. With established operations in South Africa and a growing footprint across Africa, Avert ITD supports partners in navigating compliance requirements, deployment challenges and market-specific needs.

In addition to distribution, Avert ITD provides technical training, presales support, partner onboarding and ongoing sales assistance, empowering resellers to deliver trusted cybersecurity solutions while building sustainable businesses.

To become an AvertITD reseller, complete this form or contact sales on +27-10-007-4430 (Johannesburg) or +27-21-007-2655 (Cape Town), or e-mail [email protected]. Find AvertITD on LinkedIn. Or send us a message on WhatsApp.