AV-Test downgrades Microsoft Security Essentials

Hilbert Hagedoorn

The Register reports Microsoft's free Security Essentials anti-virus software has lost its seal of approval from AV-TEST. The German test lab conducts bi-monthly tests and claims Security Essentials ...

AV-Test downgrades Microsoft Security Essentials

Ven0m · *Last edited by Ven0m; 12-03-2012 at 08:42.*

Direct link to the test results: http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/home...7/sepoct-2012/

MSE failed bad, really bad. ESET NOD32, which I used to have doesn't look too appealing.

Has any of you BitDefender and can recommend it?
Do you know if you can download & install Windows 8 version if you bought the regular license?

Or maybe I should get F-Secure... Have you guy any recommendations / warnings regarding AV products with 6.0 protection rating?

russ1 · 12-03-2012, 09:24 | posts: 159

I have used MSE for years. Looking at that report, i can't believe the dismal protection it gives. Think i will be looking around for a new AV, any good suggestions guys?

Ven0m · 12-03-2012, 09:37 | posts: 1,036 | Location: Warsaw, Poland

Quote:

Originally Posted by russ1

I have used MSE for years. Looking at that report, i can't believe the dismal protection it gives. Think i will be looking around for a new AV, any good suggestions guys?

Avast is free and it got really good scores. It used to be really poor, but it's getting better and better. However I'd rather go for some quality paid service. They're not that expensive, and it's an important issue. So I'm looking for more recommendations.

PhazeDelta1 · 12-03-2012, 09:38 | posts: 9,344 | Location: 90° N

Not really surprised by this.

Xendance · 12-03-2012, 09:47 | posts: 5,289 | Location: Funland aka Happycamp aka Finland

...a test for "zero day exploits"? Wat. How can they have a list of zero day exploits, that makes no sense. And even if they did, it makes sense that the most popular anti virus software (MSE) doesn't detect them with heuristics since most of the viruses are specifically designed to not be detected by it. Also I don't think MS wants to risk getting false positives.

That test is complete nonsense if you ask me.

MasterBash · 12-03-2012, 11:46 | posts: 394 | Location: Quebec

Useless report to me... lol. zero day? Really?

Speed Weed · 12-03-2012, 12:03 | posts: 638 | Location: Somewhere in Scotland

Must admit to using MSE, and have done for a while.
On the other hand, if any of you aren't the slightest bit paranoid about any dodgy-looking email which arrives at your addie and just bin it, instead of opening it, then even some of the hard-core av's will be hard pressed to protect your rig.
Virus designers aren't just a bunch of mischief-making schoolkids these days.
They really do mean business.

zipper · 12-03-2012, 12:10 | posts: 458 | Location: finland

F-Secure bought from Germany, about 25 e per year, been happy with it for several years.

Ghosty · 12-03-2012, 12:14 | posts: 1,329 | Location: UK

Never been a fan of MSE myself. I've been using Avira for a couple of years now, much better than most other AV's IMO.

Ven0m · 12-03-2012, 12:15 | posts: 1,036 | Location: Warsaw, Poland

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xendance

...a test for "zero day exploits"? Wat. How can they have a list of zero day exploits, that makes no sense. And even if they did, it makes sense that the most popular anti virus software (MSE) doesn't detect them with heuristics since most of the viruses are specifically designed to not be detected by it. Also I don't think MS wants to risk getting false positives.

That test is complete nonsense if you ask me.

It's not a nonsense - you keep VM images of systems with antivirus and updates for specific days and then test them against some malware that was released on the same day as the update, or later. It's a good test to check if your antivirus can work against 0-days.

Phragmeister · 12-03-2012, 15:07 | posts: 1,161 | Location: UK

Router (hardware) firewall + Windows Firewall + Malwarebytes. Haven't had a single issue in the last 4/5+ years

Common sense helps a bit, too.

-Tj- · 12-03-2012, 15:29 | posts: 2,418 | Location: Downtown ✈

Nod32 4/5 security is ok for me, no issues for years, firewall is good too

Kaspersky can be great, but imo to intrusive.. It can block gpu/sound drivers and sometimes lags the system, i dont know about latest 2011-2013, but i know 2010 wasnt good.

nick0323 · 12-03-2012, 16:23 | posts: 393 | Location: Old England

i've used Kaspersky Anti-Virus since 2008 and I've had very few issues. I'm currently using 2013. I tried Internet Security but it's just too damn intrusive.

KAV 2013, router, Windows Firewall and a bit of common sense.
Never had any issues with KAV trying to block driver installs etc.

Veteran · *Last edited by Veteran; 12-03-2012 at 16:34.*

Been using Bitdefender+Malwarebytes+Winpatrol for years.
Not surprised at the results about MSE as i did alot of my own research into Internet security Years ago and said a good while back that MSe has poor signature detection along Avast, AVG and Eset Security (Nod32 is the worst from my experience).

I also used to use my own hardware based proxies linked up in my garage etc.

HonoredShadow · *Last edited by HonoredShadow; 12-03-2012 at 16:41.*

Why Bitdefender Year?

I might go with something else but I don't want anything that takes up loads of memory and gets in the way. A 'game' mode is also a nice touch.

Tell ya what else I don't like. The other junk that comes with them. I don't mean like additional programs like PC fix programs and browser bars. I mean things like AVG and its link scanning bits that take over your system and seem to not be needed etc, etc...

I'm seriously thinking of not having a virus scanner and just having Malware Bytes. Just be careful instead.

The Postman · 12-03-2012, 16:39 | posts: 1,461 | Location: Boston

AVG is free and is better than my licensed copy of Kaspersky. I have it on all my systems now.

Sarex · 12-03-2012, 17:00 | posts: 27

Eset Smart Security 5.2 and Spybot S&D 2 + router with DD-WRT firmware, and I never had any problems with any of my computers for years, and more than once I went to questionable sites.

Agonist · 12-03-2012, 17:16 | posts: 605 | Location: Tennessee

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phragmeister

Router (hardware) firewall + Windows Firewall + Malwarebytes. Haven't had a single issue in the last 4/5+ years

Common sense helps a bit, too.

This!!!!!! I honestly have not used an AV since 2006 when Vista beta2. But I do run AVG free on my XP partition.

snorge · 12-03-2012, 17:30 | posts: 74

I ran with no protection for several years and before I killed my Win 7 install to switch to Win 8 I scanned with several antivirus and rootkit detectors and they found absolutely nothing. Still seems to me like common sense is the best AV although as others suggested I'll probably keep malwarebytes around for peace of mind, either that or webroot which gets pretty good reviews and seems to be the lightest on system resources even less so than MSE.

BigBlockTowncar · 12-03-2012, 17:59 | posts: 1,422 | Location: USA

If you browse normal websites like this one, other forums, ebay, amazon, craigslist....what is the need for anything other than MSE?

I check email through Windows Live Mail. I get a lot of junk as I have been using the same email address for more than 10 years but I don't recall ever getting a virus through email.

DethZero · 12-03-2012, 18:25 | posts: 42 | Location: Colorado

I downloaded Bitdefender 2013 Internet Security trial, so far it's pretty good. Not sure how much effect on a system it has, I 3770k with 16gb of ram, ssd, and windows 8 and I don't notice a single slip with it.

hallryu · 12-03-2012, 18:39 | posts: 10,847 | Location: England

Best AV is sensible browsing and staying away from dubious downloads.

lucidus · 12-03-2012, 18:39 | posts: 3,267 | Location: UAE

Unfortunate for MS but the greatest protection is being alert and not relying only on the AV so I'm keeping MSE because it stays out of the way and doesn't affect system performance.

Ghosty · 12-03-2012, 18:48 | posts: 1,329 | Location: UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by hallryu

Best AV is sensible browsing and staying away from dubious downloads.

True enough.