Update January 2017
The user interface has now been optimized. The changes so far are as following:
- Radio buttons instead of a dial
- The modes have been renamed
- You can create your own custom mode now \o/
We hope to have created an even better user interface the second time around. Please give us feedback !
Original Post
The Avira Scout autopilot has a simple knob which allows you to switch between modes and decide which one suits you best:
“Comfort” or “Secure”
The Avira Scout autopilot has a simple knob which allows you to switch between modes and decide which one suits you best: “Comfort” or “Secure”
What do those settings stand for?
Right off the bat let us ensure you: both of our settings – be it “Secure” or our default “Comfort” – will get you serious security and privacy benefits.
“Comfort Mode” adds several comfort features and as many security and privacy features as possible without reducing your comfort or breaking pages. We will also collect anonymous user statistics to optimize usability.
“Secure Mode” only adds a couple of comfort features that work very well in accordance with our security and privacy concept. It adds more security and privacy features than the comfort mode and _could_ potentially break some pages. No statistics for usability optimization are being collected. Of course: It’s more secure than comfort mode after all.
I would advise you to test and try both of the modes yourself. Choose the security mode you feel most comfortable with and which does not interfere with your browsing habits. You can switch between the modes whenever you want.
We will always have a simple way for you to check out what settings those modes trigger. Currently said settings are listed at the bottom of the menu.
Transparency and Control
The autopilot will be split into two parts:
- A short and simple user interface where users can select the current mode.
- A “all the information you could ever want” part that can be found if you dig a bit deeper into the menu.
“What do I need all the information for if the two security modes are already covering almost everything?” you may ask. Well, transparency is as important as usability. This and getting the user back into control – because it is YOUR computer and YOUR data, so YOU should be in control. The autopilot security modes are optimized for specific use cases which are based on our knowledge about security. But being knowledgeable about security does not make us experts when it comes to your surfing habits.
That’s why we will always display the exact settings our modes come with (though not always on the first screen of the menu, since the number of settings will grow soon). And – to make it worth your while – you will soon have a way to override our defaults if you feel like they do not fit your way of using the internet.
Usability = Security !
Snowden almost failed to see his mission through. Why? Because of usability.
Snowden had to establish contact with Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras (both are journalists) to get his documents leaked. For that he wanted to use the NSA proof PGP mail encryption. PGP was built for nerds – because almost no other user group cared about mail encryption pre-Snowden.
Back then usability meant: Write some documentation for all those command line switches. That might be perfect for me, but probably less than perfect for many others.
So Snowden created (as an anonymous user on YouTube) a video that tried to explain how to use PGP to Glenn Greenwald. He failed. Greenwald didn’t even manage to finish watching the video! Imagine how different today would be, if Greenwald had given up on Snowden back then just because the PGP mail encryption lacked usability.
We definitely don’t a lack of usability stand in the way of you being able to enjoy our Avira Scout browser, so perhaps now you can better understand why it is one of the most important security features.
By the way, you can read the whole Snowen / Greenwald story over here. And if you are really interested in this topic take a look at the “dramatic” 31C3 talk “Crypto Tales from the Trenches”
Future – What’s up next?
We are already collecting ideas for a third mode: internally we call it “Paranoid mode”. 😉 So stay tuned.
By the way: After you’ve used Avira Scout for a couple of days, we would appreciate it if you could give us feedback by using the link at the bottom-right corner. Thanks!
TL;DR:
Simple can be beautiful AND secure
Thorsten Sick
Please note: This article relates to the Windows, Mac and Linux version of the Avira Scout browser.
Comecei agora a usar e estou gostando muito.
used avira free for very many years = very good
used avira pro for several years now on two laptops.
like the new features, feel safer.
use scout now for all browsing find it responsive and comprehensive on seaches.
Hi David,
Thanks for your feedback and we’re happy to secure you and your devices!
Best,
István
Alles prima.
Bin zufrieden.
I like the idea, as Mozilla has started with the same idea. Independent and in the interest of the user. Time pases and things change.
Companies make deals among each other and this results in that online banking with some banks only works with Chrome.
If a secure browser is not supported by a bank for online banking, what do I need a secure browser for?
Standard internet surfing is not my concern, it’s those pages I need to use passwords, account numbers, that do not work on these secure browsers as Firefox, Scout etc.
Ich bin Neu am PC und muss mich mit den ganzen Begriffen erst einmal auseinander-
setzen.
i’m a new user to this not sure how to use hope they guide me thru it or give me choices to make because i ‘m not a nerd just an everyday kinda person no real computer training just learn as i go & hope i don’t mess anything up so i hope your with me for the journey avira because here we go i ‘m leaving now
Frage:
Inwieweit ersetzt der Button “Avira Scout” den Button “Internet Explorer”, der ja auch mit dem “roten Regenschirm von Avira” gesichert ist ?
Was sind die wesentlichen Unterschiede ?
When I go to Twitter I can’t play video..it says this browser does not support video playback
When I go to web sites that have a comment section…I can’t open comments
I think I like what I’m reading!? But only having read it once, it seems beyond my understanding. All I know is that it helps me when I browse. I’m not a geek i learn by reading and doing.
Sincerely,
Josef
I was trying to download an anti virus and a google chrome! After downloading Avira, I find out that I have already have a kind of chrome in it! I am so happy
I found my new best friend.
Today is a good day, indeed.
Had no crashes or glitches so far – very simple controls. I like it so far
If there is an area where the forces of users “Feedom and Control” collide with the companies forces of “Big Data and Tracking”. That area is called BROWSER.
Mobile and Tablet are trying to kill BROWSER with the use of standalone apps. Apps that ask all kind of permission to hook into users data and destroy privacy.
Community is really in the need of new tools that give back the users control over their digital life.
Avira Scout can be a handy solution for all these problems.