Windows 7: Microsoft Security Essentials ranked second last in AV-Test's

Microsoft's popular free antivirus program Security Essentials has put in a mediocre showing in the latest quarterly tests from German test outfit AV-Test.org, finishing second bottom out of 22 products.

In Q1 2011 Security Essentials 2.0 (MSE) performed well at the least demanding test, that of spotting malware drawn from the industry-agreed Wildlist selection, scoring 100 percent. It also put in a good performance against a large group of recent malware samples selected by AV-Test itself, with a creditable score of 97 percent detection.

However, the product's performance deteriorated sharply when pitted against 107 recent zero-day malware web and email malware attacks, described by AV-Test as 'real-world' testing', spotting only half. The product's performance in 'dynamic detection testing' - noticing malware on or post-execution - was also modest at only 45 percent.

For context, the test average for real-world and dynamic testing was 84 percent and 62 percent respectively.

The top-scoring product in the tests was BitDefender's Internet Security Suite 2011, with a maximum weighted score of 6.0 across all tests, ahead of BullGuard Internet Security 10, F-Secure Internet Security 2011, and Kaspersky Internet Security 2011, all on 5.5. MSE scored 2.5, ahead of only one product, CA Internet Security Suite 2011.

Microsoft's free antivirus solution for all Windows users may be good in terms of usability - in particular, its impact on system performance - but when it comes to actual malware protection, it came almost dead last amongst its free and paid competitors in tests conducted during the first quarter of 2011 by German testing firm AV-Test. In fact, an almost identical observation can be made for AV-Test's previous tests conducted in the fourth quarter of 2010 on Windows Vista. Fortunately for Microsoft, despite these results the product did manage a pass and a certification from AV-Test.

Only a chump uses the internet regularly uses MSE...
Fact!

Only a chump uses the internet regularly uses MSE...
Fact!

I don't do much risky on the net at all. I don't pirate software, I don't visit adult sites, I don't use P2P apps to download movies, music, etc. But I do use the Internet a ton at home.

I use MSE on my main Windows 7 box. It's enough for what I need. It's quiet and it's small and it's interface is easy.

I'd much rather have less load on my box, then a system which provides more sophisticated malware detection at the expense of system performance. It's just not needed by me...Snipped