Microsoft's Security Essentials Fails Latest Antivirus Test


Recommended Posts

Once again, Microsoft's Security Essentials has finished at the bottom of the list during AV-Test's latest evaluation of antivirus products. The German-based testing firm pitted 28 antivirus programs (a mix of free and paid offerings) against 153 pieces of zero-day malware and 12,327 pieces of known maware on Windows 7 machines in a three-part test that scores on protection, performance and usability.

 

The tests, which were conducted in December, not only had Microsoft's free antivirus tool (version 4.6) coming in dead last among 28 competitors, but it scored 0 out of 6 points in the category of malware protection. It fared a better when it came to performance (4 out of 6) and scored a perfect 6 points when it came to usability. However, if your antivirus is not successful in blocking threats, ease of use will never make up for that glaring weakness.

 

Microsoft in the past has spoken out against AV-Test's findings in the past, saying that while the testing firm rates the products based off of missed malware detections, Microsoft prioritizes protection based off of real-world malware use and potential risk to end users.

 

In a blog from 2013, Microsoft's Joe Blackbird said that the majority of malware tested against its products would rarely be encountered in the wild. "Our review showed that 0.0033 percent of our Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection customers were impacted by malware samples not detected during the test," wrote Blackbird. "In addition, 94 percent of the malware samples not detected during the test didn't impact our customers."

 

http://redmondmag.com/articles/2015/01/27/security-essentials-fails-antivirus-test.aspx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Huh. Avira is still coming out pretty high on those lists. I'm glad I'm still recommending it to friends.

It's a shame to hear about MSE though, and even Windows Defender for Windows 8, if I'm reading their October chart right. (As an aside, is Windows Defender just a renamed version of MSE on Windows 7?) A lot of people think they're protected and don't look in to alternatives.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Huh. Avira is still coming out pretty high on those lists. I'm glad I'm still recommending it to friends.

It's a shame to hear about MSE though, and even Windows Defender for Windows 8, if I'm reading their October chart right. (As an aside, is Windows Defender just a renamed version of MSE on Windows 7?) A lot of people think they're protected and don't look in to alternatives.

 

Look at the Free 360 Internet Security on that list! It cleans wipes the floor with even the paid AV's. I use the 360 Total Security, I really wish they would test that one out too.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Look at the Free 360 Internet Security on that list! It cleans wipes the floor with even the paid AV's. I use the 360 Total Security, I really wish they would test that one out too.

A fair point, and I hadn't noticed that it's Avira Pro.

I also see that 360 offers certain options for other platforms. I might have a read up on that and give it a go. (Y)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A fair point, and I hadn't noticed that it's Avira Pro.

I also see that 360 offers certain options for other platforms. I might have a read up on that and give it a go. (Y)

 

Just don't use the speed up option on 360 Total security

 

I installed both 360 total security and avast on a Virtual machine each after each test about 6 months ago. Downloaded some adware from a google search.

 

Avast let pretty much all but 1 poo pack in

360 Total Security blocked them all

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't forget bloatware! Make sure you use an AV vendor that has the ability to also block both potentially unsafe (aka password reset or hack tools, port scanning etc if you use these tools you can whitelist your WSCC directory) and potentially unwanted (AKA bloatware) applications.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About these tests... since it mentions 164 0-day malware, how the hell did they have 164 0-day malware pieces? What does 0-day malware mean? It just popped up during their tests or something? Also, when a security fix for X 0-day malware is installed, rendering it useless, there is 0 reason for Defender to keep definitions for it since it is no longer a malware, but a useless piece of code.

 

I would like MORE information about the malware used. If there really were 164 pieces of 0-day malware, with absolutely no security fixes to mitigate the damage they do, a stupidly huge amount of Windows devices would be infected to death.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About these tests... since it mentions 164 0-day malware, how the hell did they have 164 0-day malware pieces? What does 0-day malware mean? It just popped up during their tests or something? Also, when a security fix for X 0-day malware is installed, rendering it useless, there is 0 reason for Defender to keep definitions for it since it is no longer a malware, but a useless piece of code.

 

I would like MORE information about the malware used. If there really were 164 pieces of 0-day malware, with absolutely no security fixes to mitigate the damage they do, a stupidly huge amount of Windows devices would be infected to death.

 

The Term Zero day is different for viruses than it is for security vulnerabilities. For Viruses, Zero day means the virus has been out on the net for Zero days. a.k.a the 1st time it's been seen, fresh brand new virus.

 

Now once the virus becomes say .. a week old then MSE would probably detect it. This is why Microsoft was arguing that this wasn't such a big deal, as people wouldn't become victim to viruses on the 1st day.

 

Though I tend to disagree.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still use Avast here on all the Machines, not sure about any others as yet, or Defender/MSE in that regard, seems to always score low on tests, so for time being think will stay where i'm at for the moment, not saying won't explore changing sometime in the future though

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use Bitdefender total security 2015 for the sake of owning an antivirus. I am pretty happy with it though

 

Wasn't Windows Defender based on Bitdefender some long time in the past?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wasn't Windows Defender based on Bitdefender some long time in the past?

 

Nope, but they did purchase the Antispyware company GIANT in 2004 for Windows Defender.

 

Who wants to have a 2004 flash back? ..... I DO!

 

giant-antispyware-screenshot-15063.gif

 

This purchase always confused me. Because back in the day GIANT was awesome, then Microsoft Bought it and Defender was ######... what did they do to GIANT!?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did anyone mention 360 Total Security can use both the Avira and Bitdefender engines at the same time? If not, there you go! :p

I was about to say the same thing. I use this app on my PC and my iphone (no idea why I use it on mobile, but I like the memory clean-up animation :p ) and I really like it. Highly recommended.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having cleaned a laptop yesterday with McAfee, Norton, two different versions of Avast and Defender yet was riddled with malware and viruses I can safely say any anti virus is rubbish if you never update it or just ignore it's warnings.

 

Maybe the best anti virus is common sense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use Eset which seems to work reliably for me. Not sure why they knocked it for performance but it runs fine on my system.

 

Is there any security software that catches ninja installs like Chrome, Ask Jeeves toolbar, Bing bar, etc.? I don't like how installers have those checked to install by default. Should be the other way around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lots of recommendations for 360 Total Security.

 

Is that the Chinese software?  Does that worry anyone?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lots of recommendations for 360 Total Security.

 

Is that the Chinese software?  Does that worry anyone?

 

The spyware you willingly installs doesn't count :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sandboxie, if I'm ever on Windows in a non-virtualized environment. Worth every penny for the lifetime key.

 

Indeed! I don't browse the net without it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to av-comparatives.org ESET seems to be among the best lately.  I never really had a good impression of them until now, maybe above average but that doesn't count for much.

 

Still using Panda though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Though I tend to disagree.

Even though they're are technically correct?

The vast majority of the time, you're going to get those 0 day viruses is if you live your life downloading every piece of ###### application you can find and every email attachment you get.

And if that's the case then well you deserve it. Common sense goes a long way when it comes to this since we no longer live in the times of IE6 and XP where you could get half the known viruses on Earth just by opening IE6 and going to freepornexe.com

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Security Essentials (according to VB100) has been doing poorly for some time.

 

I don't attribute as much as the quality going down, but since it's the default AV of Windows 8 and up, I think it's a larger target by virus / malware makers to try and break / by pass it.

 

With the vb100 testing, a  AV by the name G Data (a German company) been consistently at the top. 

https://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/latest_comparative/index

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.