Microsoft Security Essentials last in banking trojan detection test

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    Microsoft Security Essentials last in banking trojan detection test


    Posted: 08 Mar 2015
    Microsoft Security Essentials is amongst the most popular Windows virus scanners but scores low on detection of malware that tries to steal money from bank accounts, according to security researchers from MRG Effitas. They tested Security Essentials with 300 banking trojans that were found “in the wild”.


    Source

    A Guy
    A Guy's Avatar Posted By: A Guy
    08 Mar 2015



  1. Posts : 2,047
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-BIT
       #1

    How come? Oh I know! They are busy keeping their heads up on Windows 10 rather than the security of their customers.
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  2. 4wd
    Posts : 337
    W7, W8.1
       #2

    The design of the graph (when just having a quick glance) makes it look much worse than it really is. 87,3 % ain't that bad for a free AV, one gets much more than one has paid for :O) The rest of the 'red ones' are in the 95 to 99 % range, very good IMO.
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  3. Posts : 428
    Windows 10 Pro 64 bit
       #3

    As 4wd said, the chart does skew the look of the results since it starts at 80%, rather than the usual 0%; but the interest is in the last 20% to show just how much the malware detection software differ in failing to detect a percentage of the three-hundred samples, and MSE failed with thirty-eight of the three-hundred. Still, the take should still be that if are going to do online banking, you need to take other security measures besides an anti-virus or malware program as even Kaspersky succeeded here with these three-hundred samples, but what about three-hundred and one? It will only take one getting through to empty your bank account.

    I use MSE, other anti-malware products, light virtualization, and an engaged mind while on the Net and if all that fails I'll restore from backup, and where online banking is concerned, I don't.
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  4. Posts : 2,686
    Windows 8.1 Pro w/Media Center 64bit, Windows 7 HP 64bit
       #4

    For those that want the actual tests and reports here is the link.
    Not for light reading on a rainy day.

    https://www.mrg-effitas.com/mrg-effi...oject-q4-2014/

    Jim
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  5. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #5

    Kaspersky has always been the champ in finding trojans. But it is not easy to deal with it. MSE is easy but it never finds anything. I still use it, LOL, but I do most of my internet work from a virtual Linux system.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 9,600
    Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
       #6

    Repeatedly we see reports of professionally conducted tests that puts MSE at or very near the bottom of rankings with anti-virus programs and yet there are a large number of geeks, people who should know better, who stubbornly cling to MSE, often vehemently justifying their action by saying they use other malware programs with it. Why use a proven inferior AV when there are other free AVs that are much better and still do not slow down one's computer? Yes, multiple layers of protection are better than just one but why not have the best on each layer? Sure, no amount of protection will stop everything but why not try to minimize the amount that does get through?

    Another pet peeve of mine are the people who claim they do not use AVs and other antimalware programs and have never gotten a virus. Without those programs to detect the presence of a virus, how do they know they have one? Gone are the days when all viruses blatantly announced their presence or slowed down computers. With the obvious exception of the few that blatantly hijack or lock your browser or computer, most now are very stealthy, quietly doing their damage behind the scenes.

    Then there are the ones who feel they are safe because the employ safe browsing habits, apparently blissfully unaware that just connecting a computer to the internet exposes them to infection.

    Another misconception that one can keep their bank accounts safe by not using internet banking. That concept would be better used for keeping grass green. Banks are already connected to the internet. Every time use a debit or credit card, the transaction is transmitted over the internet. Even if a vendor manually accepts plastic, that information will hit the internet once it gets turned in to the vendor's bank. Even if one spent cash only and never used checks or plastic, money setting in a bank account can still be accessed by hackers. The ONLY way to protect one's bank accounts from being hacked is to not have any, using only cash only and hiding your money somewhere. Never mind someone might find that money, that some disaster, such as fire, could destroy it, and that you will never earn any interest on it, you won't have to worry about a hacker getting it.

    Some people think using a different OS than Windows will make the internet safer. It will...for a while. Once enough people start doing that, hackers will realize what a rich treasure trove that is and will start hacking through it. It's been happening to MACs for some time now yet many MAC users still think they are safe, it won't be long before the popular flavors of Linux will be getting hit on a regular basis.
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  7. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #7

    You may be painting a doomsday scenario. I think we all know that MSE is not the brightest star in the AV world, but it is convenient because it is there by default. I actually like NIS the best and still have 3 unused licenses sitting on the shelf.

    But my best protection are my frequent images. I trust that strategy more than any AV. And for my virtual Linux systems I just make a copy of the VMware Player folder. Since I only use Linux for the internet, I need not update those backups too often. Only after major Linux updates.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 9,600
    Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
       #8

    whs said:
    You may be painting a doomsday scenario. I think we all know that MSE is not the brightest star in the AV world, but it is convenient because it is there by default. I actually like NIS the best and still have 3 unused licenses sitting on the shelf.

    But my best protection are my frequent images. I trust that strategy more than any AV. And for my virtual Linux systems I just make a copy of the VMware Player folder. Since I only use Linux for the internet, I need not update those backups too often. Only after major Linux updates.
    I also use frequent images. I agree that restoring to an earlier image is the easiest, and sometimes the only, way to get rid of a virus. However, one has to know if one has a virus to before knowing the need to get rid of it and, nowadays, most viruses can't be detected without a good AV or other anti-malware program.

    Linux is the safest OS for web surfing but, same as OSx, it will be getting viruses and other malware someday.
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  9. whs
    Posts : 26,210
    Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8
       #9

    There are Linux AV options too. At least those have a Linux version:

    Avast
    Bit Defender
    ClamAV
    AVG

    I guess ClamAV is the classic in Linux. There are others like Commodo, but those I would rather not use.
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