AVG Technologies, a leading provider of Internet security software, today announced it has attained Gold Certified status in the Microsoft Partner Program with a competency in ISV/Software Solutions. To qualify as a Gold Certified partner, the company demonstrated expertise with Microsoft technologies and a proven ability to meet customers’ needs using that technology. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training and support, enabling them to provide optimum service and support to their customers.

AVG Technologies offers a range of Internet security products for home users and small to medium sized businesses (SMB). Home users can choose AVG Anti-Virus, AVG Anti-Virus plus Firewall, or AVG Internet Security, while business users can select networked versions of the Anti-Virus and Internet Security products as well as file- and email-server based Anti-Virus. In addition, AVG Technologies provides free basic protection against viruses, spyware, and web threats delivered through search results pages, to individuals with AVG Free.

“We are extremely pleased to have achieved Gold Certified status in the Microsoft Partner Program,“ says AVG Technologies CEO J. R. Smith. “It clearly shows our customers and business partners the high degree of expertise our people have in the use and support of Microsoft tools and platforms. Everyone gains from this recognition.“

As one of the requirements for attaining Gold Certified Status, AVG Technologies had to declare a Microsoft Competency. Microsoft Competencies are designed to help differentiate a partner’s capabilities with specific Microsoft technologies to customers looking for a particular type of solution. Each competency has a unique set of requirements and benefits, formulated to accurately represent the specific skills and services that partners bring to the technology industry.

The Microsoft ISV/Software Solutions Competency recognizes the skill and focus partners bring to a particular solution set. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners that have obtained this competency have a successful record of developing and marketing packed software based on Microsoft technologies.

AVG Technologies recently announced that the AVG Free basic security product has achieved a key milestone of five million downloads in a single week at CNet download.com (www.download.com). AVG Free was downloaded more than five million times during the last week of May 2008. The total number of downloads through download.com since the launch of AVG Free 8.0 in April 2008 and today is approaching 25 million.