Added security against viruses

The global internet security firm, AVG, which is based in Newark, has launched a new product.

Its linkscanner checks every web page visited for viruses in real time. Other internet security systems check for viruses against a database.

The managing director of AVG UK, Mr Mike Foreman, said: “There are 2m infected web pages out there at any one time, and 60% of them for only 24 hours so checking against a database just doesn’t work.”

The linkscanner is a third tier of security. It works with the free anti-virus software — the most downloaded product of its type — and the paid-for identity theft protection software, which works by immediately halting out-of-character activity such as requests for credit card details.

Mr Foreman said: “Each layer of security is not 100% protection on its own but together they are.”

AVG UK employs 46 people at its offices on Glenholm Park, Brunel Drive.

Its call centre offers expertise and technical support to the company’s UK and Ireland customers.

Its clients include PC World, Amazon and Play.com.

AVG plans to recruit 18 more people locally and Mr Foreman said there was room for further expansion.

Mr Foreman began marketing AVG’s systems in 2002 from an attic over his father’s computer support business, F1 Computer Services, on Bridge Street, Newark.

Globally, AVG protects 80m business and home computing customers in 167 countries from internet viruses, worms, spyware, spam and identity theft.