Norton, Avast, AVG and Avira earn top marks from AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and AVLab, reinforcing Gen's position as the global leader in consumer Cyber Safety.
TEMPE, Ariz. and PRAGUE, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Gen (NASDAQ: GEN), a global leader dedicated to powering Digital Freedom, today celebrates that its consumer Cyber Safety brands Norton, Avast, AVG and Avira earned 28 annual award recognitions – up from 16 the year before – from the world's most respected independent testing organizations: AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and AVLab.
"Independent labs put security technology through the most rigorous tests in the industry, and earning 28 honors across our brands is a clear signal that Gen is setting the standard for consumer Cyber Safety," said Vita Santrucek, Chief Technology & Development Officer at Gen. "As threats grow more sophisticated and AI-driven, our customers need protection that not only keeps pace but stays ahead. These results validate the depth of our technology and the talent behind it, and they reflect what nearly 500 million people around the world already trust us to deliver every day."
The awards span categories, including the full range of malware protection, advanced threat defense, system performance, usability and cross-platform coverage. Only a small handful of vendors are recognized across this full range, and even fewer sustain that breadth of awards across multiple brands and operating systems in the same year. Powered by advanced AI and machine learning and backed by one of the world's largest threat-intelligence networks, Gen's technology blocks billions of cyberattacks every quarter on behalf of its customers, turning consistent independent validation into constant peace of mind.
Recognition Across Key Protection Categories
AV-Comparatives, widely regarded as the gold standard in independent security testing, awarded Gen's brands 16 honors, marking the broadest recognition in the company's history of working with the institute. Norton, Avast and AVG were each named "Top-Rated Product 2025," AV-Comparatives' most prestigious annual distinction, while all four brands achieved the institute's "Approved Security Product" certification. Gen brands took home Gold recognitions in the categories that matter most to its customers: Norton earned Gold for Real-World Protection, while Avast and AVG took Gold for delivering protection with the lowest impact on system performance. Norton added Silver in the same category. In Advanced Threat Protection testing, Norton, Avast and AVG each earned Silver, with Avira contributing additional Bronze recognition for both Real-World Protection and Advanced Threat Protection.
AV-Test, one of the industry's most rigorous independent evaluators, conferred "Best Usability" and "Best MacOS Security" honors on seven Gen products, recognizing strong protection that doesn't compromise the user experience. Norton 360, Avast Free Security, AVG Internet Security, and Avira Security each received "Best Usability" awards. Norton 360, Avast Security, and AVG Antivirus were also recognized for "Best MacOS Security" for home users.
SE Labs named Norton its "Consumer Security Innovator" for 2025, a distinction reserved for the brand judged to be advancing the state of consumer protection. SE Labs additionally awarded both Norton and Avast top honors for consumer endpoint security.
In addition to these awards, AVLab awarded its top honor, "Product of the Year" to both Avast Free Antivirus and Norton Antivirus Plus for their performance in advanced, in-the-wild malware protection testing.
For more information on the latest in Gen's threat research, visit https://www.gendigital.com/blog/insights.
About Gen
Gen (NASDAQ: GEN) is a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom through its trusted consumer brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, MoneyLion and more. The Gen family of consumer brands is rooted in providing financial empowerment and cyber safety for the first digital generations. Today, Gen empowers people to live their digital lives safely, privately and confidently for generations to come. Gen brings award-winning products and services in cybersecurity, online privacy, identity protection and financial wellness to nearly 500 million users in more than 150 countries. Learn more at GenDigital.com.
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SOURCE Gen Digital Inc.