And the antivirus program Avira adds a cryptocurrency miner to its code.
Along with Norton that last week reported that adds a new component, called Norton Crypto, and mines cryptocurrencies from its clients' computers, it seems that Avira does the same.
After all, both preletterthey belong to the same company, the NortonLifeLock. With Avira Crypto, coin-miners can now turn idle time on their computers into an opportunity to earn digital currency.
The company created a FAQ on its support site, which provides some additional details about the new feature. According to the FAQ, Avira Crypto mines Ethereum in systems and is accompanied by a personal wallet (as well as Norton).
Avira does not disclose how much (if any) of the mined currency it will keep for itself. While Norton revealed last week that it will take 15% of the coin earned from users of Norton Crypto.
Participation in Avira Crypto and Norton Crypto is voluntary. Whether mining is profitable depends on a number of factors, including the cost of electricity and the wear and tear of the material.
Both companies have been criticized for integrating cryptocurrency mining assets. Virtually all security products until now have blocked malicious attempts implementations crypto miners, on client computers. This consolidation may add some revenue for NortonLifeLock, but it may also affect its reputation.
At the moment the most latest version of Avira Free (January 10, 2022) does not include Avira Crypto. Maybe it will roll out everywhere, or it's just limited to customers from certain regions for now.
