AV Testing

XboxOmac · 20 Feb 2010

Can you have both Avast! and Microsoft Security Essentials on the same computer? I already have MSE, but if a good combination works with Avast!, then I would install that one, too.

Nem · 20 Feb 2010

XboxOmac said:

Can you have both Avast! and Microsoft Security Essentials on the same computer? I already have MSE, but if a good combination works with Avast!, then I would install that one, too.

Yes you can, been said by Alwil Avast! + MSE work nice together. Both still light on resources good combo indeed.

XboxOmac · 20 Feb 2010

ChroNiC187 said:

XboxOmac said:

Can you have both Avast! and Microsoft Security Essentials on the same computer? I already have MSE, but if a good combination works with Avast!, then I would install that one, too.

Yes you can, been said by Alwil Avast! + MSE work nice together. Both still light on resources good combo indeed.

Thanks. Will try when I get home.

Dinesh · 21 Feb 2010

Good job done there mate. :)
I second that Avast is a matured AV and is the best out there. :)

Dinesh · 21 Feb 2010

XboxOmac said:

Can you have both Avast! and Microsoft Security Essentials on the same computer? I already have MSE, but if a good combination works with Avast!, then I would install that one, too.

Yes you can have both running at the same time.

GeorgeB · 21 Feb 2010

Just did a test similar to yours using 10 new links.

Norton 2010

- Detected 9
- Missed 1

MSE

- Detected 6
- Missed 4

A-Squared

-Detected 8
-Missed 2

Norton 360

- Detected 7
- Missed 3

AVAST 5

- Detected 5
- Missed 5

AVAST did the worst

TheIgster · 21 Feb 2010

GeorgeB said:

AVAST did the worst

Which seems surprising since I did some more tests last night with 15 new links and a couple of other AV's and Avast had a perfect score once again. That's 30 different links that I found on various sites that Avast stopped, yet your links Avast did not? Hmmmm....

Last night's testing...Got 15 brand new links and tried them with the following. I used Avast again to see if it would continue on it's same pace:

Panda Cloud
Kaspersky
Avast

Using Shadow Defender in Shadow Mode so I don't have to reload an image each time (I don't use or have a VM), I uninstalled all AV and then loaded the latest version of the below AV's and let them update/setup:

Panda Cloud

Score: Malware 15, Panda 0: 0%

The machine was a mess after the 15 links. Pop ups galore, tons of running processes. Panda missed every single link. No a single peep out of Panda the entire time.

Kaspersky

Score: Malware 0, Kaspersky 15: 100%

Avast

Score: Malware 0, Avast 15: 100%

The machine was left unharmed while the links were executed with Kaspersky running as well as the tests with Avast. So again, Avast gets a perfect score. Kaspersky also performed very well with just single pop ups and it easily took care of all the malware.

Again, nothing scientific here and I'm no pro and yes, I had fun doing it. Not sure why having fun means it should be taken any less seriously, but these are just simple, small sample tests to see how AV's perform against malware that hasn't been out there that long.

The free Avast continues to surprise me.

malexous · 21 Feb 2010

Avast! couldn't stop my links either.

It's more surprising then that it managed to stop all 30 of your links.

JonM33 · 21 Feb 2010

TheIgster said:

I took 15 malicious links and loaded them against numerous anti virus software programs. These links were zero day links and were found on various sites on the Internet. Stopped is the number of malware that was stopped by the running anti virus program. Missed means the malware got through.

I have rated the product from worst to best. Amazingly enough, one product was able to stop all threats:

Rising Anti Virus

Stopped: 1
Missed: 14

Score: 6%

Microsoft Security Essentials

Stopped: 3
Missed: 12

Score: 20%

Trustport Anti Virus

Stopped: 6
Missed: 9

Score: 40%

AVG

Stopped: 8
Missed: 7

Score: 53%

Avira Anti Virus

Stopped: 8
Missed: 7

Score: 53%

Vipre Anti Virus

Stopped: 9
Missed: 6

Score: 60%

ESET Nod32

Stopped: 10
Missed: 5

Score: 66%

Avast

Stopped: 15
Missed: 0

Score: 100%

Now I know there are those who will say that Avast scored what it did because it is my AV of choice, but this test was performed without bias at all. It was done with the same links and in the same fashion. I was a little surprised by the performance of some quite frankly.

Also note, these were 15 random zero day links taken from various sites. On any given day, anti virus software may perform much better or much worse than this test.

I used to use Avast until it started missing malware when I scanned files. I got an infection and gave up on it.

Malicious links are one thing. Scanning files and missing them are another. I cannot recommend Avast to anyone.

Nem · 21 Feb 2010

Honestly... basing your stats out of just 15 links is not a fair rating system at all
like i said all you need is Avast, MSE, or you could both if you like and ..most importantly common sence.