App Review EMSISOFT Anti-Malware HOME 2022

It is advised to take all reviews with a grain of salt. In extreme cases some reviews use dramatization for entertainment purposes.
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Shadowra

Shadowra

Level 33
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Malware Tester
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Sep 2, 2021
2,247
Hello and welcome to the Emsisoft test!
Emsisoft is a relatively well known anti-malware from New Zealand.
Formerly with Ikarus under the name a-squared, Emsisoft has evolved over the years.
Even if some legendary tools have been abandoned (like Mamutu, or OnlineArmor), Emsisoft has managed to merge them into its anti-malware software.

The interface has been slightly modified, the Dark Mode is present (that I had to activate), finally exit the white interface that I did not like!
Now it's much better. There is also a small pane on the left that explains the small things.
For the test, I voluntarily configure Emsisoft, but in all honesty, it is useless.
RAM consumption is quite average, but you can optimize with the mode on RAM that I checked.

Detection and protection level... I'm surprised !
Even if these 2 engines are still excellent, where I expected to see a big improvement is on the side of the Cloud and on the behavioral blocking, where Emsisoft often had difficulties during my tests.
I'm very happy that Emsisoft has finally corrected this!
Cloud blocking is very fast, it caught 2 droppers of my URLs and was unbeatable on the pack!
Only one Java malware passed the protection but is not active at all.

Emsisoft is a very complete anti-malware and lives up to my expectations. It will protect you efficiently.
Recommended.

Warning : This video is sponsored by Emsisoft and @SerialCart .
Although this video is sponsored, my test and my opinions have not influenced in any way! The goal of my channel is to remain neutral, without influence from any partner or publisher.



RAM Usage : Low
Malware URL test : 10/10 (All blocked)
Fake crack : 1/1 (Blocked by Emsisoft's BB)
Malware Pack : Remaining 25 files out of 542.
Emsisoft has been very amazing in this area!
It was able to protect the machine by blocking all submitted malware via reputation analysis and the Cloud!
Only one Java malware passed but is not active.
Emsisoft asked to reboot to finish the cleanup, we did.

Resistance to script attacks: Yes

Result :
Emsisoft : 0 (the detection is related to the forced deactivation of Microsoft Defender, even if I removed the key, it is a false positive, ignored)
NPE: 0
Eset : 0
KVRT : 4

Recommand : Yes, recommended
System Clean : Yes system clean and protected
 

mkoundo

Level 8
Verified
Well-known
Jul 21, 2017
358
Hi Shadowra, thanks for this great test!. Just wanted to ask a couple of things:
a) "For the test, I voluntarily configure Emsisoft, but in all honesty, it is useless." Do you mean that if you had used default settings, you would have got the same results?
b) in the first part of the test where the malware is blocked by the cloud; is that done by the emsisoft browser add-on component?

👍
 

Bumblebee Uncle

Level 3
Well-known
Mar 15, 2022
108
One of the frustrating things about Emsisoft is that their support has now gone down hill. The UI, although nice is super laggy! It lags when you click across different components, checking the log also lacks etc.

I do not know if Emsisoft invests a lot in usability testing as UI issues/bugs have always been persistent with Emsisoft. Also, their focus now on business consumers and increasingly going away and not considering home users is also a bummer.

Even though the protection might be nice but it is not a product I would like to use or recommend.
 

Shadowra

Level 33
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Sep 2, 2021
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Hi Shadowra, thanks for this great test!. Just wanted to ask a couple of things:
a) "For the test, I voluntarily configure Emsisoft, but in all honesty, it is useless." Do you mean that if you had used default settings, you would have got the same results?
b) in the first part of the test where the malware is blocked by the cloud; is that done by the emsisoft browser add-on component?

👍
1.
I can but it won't change anything. Just instead of asking your opinion from time to time, it will process automatically.
But I can do a default test later if you want.

2. No :) protection in the cloud is related to behavioral protection
 

mkoundo

Level 8
Verified
Well-known
Jul 21, 2017
358
1.
I can but it won't change anything. Just instead of asking your opinion from time to time, it will process automatically.
But I can do a default test later if you want.

2. No :) protection in the cloud is related to behavioral protection
Hey Shadowra, thanks a lot. I would be interested to see but if you don't have time, no worries!

So the browser add-on does website blocks by signatures in the emsisoft application and shows the following when it is triggered, correct?
1663852486317.png
 

Bumblebee Uncle

Level 3
Well-known
Mar 15, 2022
108
also, if you reduce the number of log entries and BB processes listed, there is no lag in the UI:

View attachment 269485
This further proves my point that Emsisoft should invest in usability testing! If a user has to figure out how to make things work, that is not a good user experience. And this lag should not be there in the first place. It is not just the logs but navigating across the entire user interface is laggy overall :)
Plus their customer service which was amazing before and used to take feedback onboard now just employs defensive rhetorics.
I will personally go fishing elsewhere for an AV :) F-secure is doing pretty well these days.
 

Bushman

Level 2
Verified
Sep 9, 2017
55
This further proves my point that Emsisoft should invest in usability testing! If a user has to figure out how to make things work, that is not a good user experience. And this lag should not be there in the first place. It is not just the logs but navigating across the entire user interface is laggy overall :)
Plus their customer service which was amazing before and used to take feedback onboard now just employs defensive rhetorics.
I will personally go fishing elsewhere for an AV :) F-secure is doing pretty well these days.
Yes except that I have used both...and in terms of customer service it is almost non-existent at F Secure...I was however a customer at F Secure for 3 years...and today having been with Emsifoft for 2 years, customer service is the best on the market for individuals
 

SeriousHoax

Level 47
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,630
in the first part of the test where the malware is blocked by the cloud
If you're talking about the blocked by Anti-malware network notification, then that should be a hash based cloud blocking.
One of the frustrating things about Emsisoft is that their support has now gone down hill.
My experience regarding malicious site submission since they shut down their forum has been negative. I submitted a few malicious hosts with details, but they didn't add those to their database while some other vendors did. Even did it from their extension's "Report this site as dangerous" button, but frankly, reporting via this button never-ever made them add anything in my experience, so I highly doubt if it even does anything. Previously they were quick to add detections after reporting malware/malicious sites on their forum but as you know they have shut down their forum in August so......🤷‍♂️ Besides, I already said here previously that I highly dislike their bad practice of tying trial version with user's hardware ID.
 

Bumblebee Uncle

Level 3
Well-known
Mar 15, 2022
108
If you're talking about the blocked by Anti-malware network notification, then that should be a hash based cloud blocking.

My experience regarding malicious site submission since they shut down their forum has been negative. I submitted a few malicious hosts with details, but they didn't add those to their database while some other vendors did. Even did it from their extension's "Report this site as dangerous" button, but frankly, reporting via this button never-ever made them add anything in my experience, so I highly doubt if it even does anything. Previously they were quick to add detections after reporting malware/malicious sites on their forum but as you know they have shut down their forum in August so......🤷‍♂️ Besides, I already said here previously that I highly dislike their bad practice of tying trial version with user's hardware ID.
Just feels sad that Emsi is going down hill :( Used to be a regular user and an admirer of Emsi. Now my set up is Windows Defender along with CF at @cruelsister 's settings :) Works like a charm.
 

roger_m

Level 41
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Content Creator
Dec 4, 2014
3,015
The last time I used it a few years ago, it made my computer run much slower. But as you can see from other's posts, that's not the case for everyone. It's best to install it and see how it performs on your own computer.
 
Last edited:

Shadowra

Level 33
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Sep 2, 2021
2,247
Why was java malware not active?

This malware never lasts long. Either the server that deploys the active load is shut down, or the malware is completely buggy...
In this test, I was not lucky because the server was closed...
And it happens regularly when Java malware starts to be detected by several antivirus (I saw it again yesterday on a solo test, the malware ran for 1h then finished....)
 

ddave

Level 2
Verified
Nov 17, 2014
87
I tried Emsisoft Anti-Malware Home for few days on my, I suppose, healthy computer. I didn't do any tests of any kind, only installed and tried the daily use.
Before of it i used G Data Internet Security for almost six month and then F-Secure Safe.
In comparison to G Data an F-Secure I found Emsisoft be more prone to false positives.
Furthermore Emsisft is a bit naggy with notifications and various pop-ups.
On the other hand, I appreciated that the Emsisoft browser extension is easily found on online stores. In fact G Data installs the extension through its own software and for some reason the F-Secure extension is no longer available in the Chrome Web Store but only in Firefox addons page.
Now I'm back to good old dear F-Secure (y)
 

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