Avast hastily closes firm that collected and sold your data

Antivirus developer Avast has closed one of its companies after it was accused of selling sensitive customer data to other firms.

Leaked documents obtained by websites PCMAG and Motherboard appear to show that marketing firm Jumpshot, which Avast set up in 2015, tracked users across more than 150 sites, including Amazon, Google and Netflix.

The information it sold told companies what sites you visited and what links you clicked on them.

This was so detailed that it could track what you bought on Amazon, and at the precise time. Amazon would in theory have been able to use this information to work out your identity.

While the data wasn’t linked to a person’s name, email or IP address, each user was given a unique ID that would’ve lasted until they uninstalled Avast.

Data was also collected on people using AVG, which Avast bought in 2016.

Avast’s first response was to defend Jumpshot, saying users have always been able to opt out of having their data sold. But a few days later, amid growing outrage, it decided to close the company.

Avast’s boss Ondrej Vlcek apologised online ( www. snipca.com/33947), saying Jumpshot was not “in line with our privacy priorities”.

It’s unclear which companies have bought data from Jumpshot. The company lists IBM, Microsoft and Google as partners, though IBM said it has “no record” of ever having worked with them, while Microsoft said it doesn’t have a current relationship. Google declined to comment.

The news comes as the second security blow to Avast in recent months. Late last year it updated its browser add-ons so they don’t pass on user data, after the practice was exposed by Adblock Plus creator Wladimir Palant.