Microsoft bombs another security test

[whizkidraj]

AV-Test.org's latest security-suite efficacy test fails Microsoft Security Essentials -- for the second time in a row. This time, though, it's not alone.

Dave Forstrom, director of Trustworthy Computing for Microsoft, e-mailed a response to a request for comment on the test results that did not directly address the fact that Security Essentials has failed two consecutive tests.

Microsoft believes in a defense in-depth strategy for antimalware protection that includes using Microsoft Security Essentials / Windows Defender in tandem with other appropriate security features such as SmartScreen, as well as keeping all software up-to-date. Our antimalware engine is designed to work in concert with these Microsoft security features to create a comprehensive security strategy. Microsoft focuses its protection efforts on what affects our customers, using real-world data collected from more than 600 million systems worldwide. We weigh these samples by severity and prevalence of malware in the wild.

In the test that Microsoft just failed, Avast and AVG Free scored 14 out of 18, while Panda hit 13 out of 18. The best-scoring product was the paid license Bitdefender Internet Security 2013, which notched 16.5. Other top scores that bested the free suites came from F-Secure Internet Security 2013, Kaspersky Internet Security 2013, Norton Internet Security 2013, and Trend Micro Titanium Maximum Security 2013.

SOURCE
Review by Seth Rosenblatt sir

 

[Ink]

I thought the scores were decent.

 

[Merebear1101]

About a month ago my wife's computer had MES. It kept showing there was a problem. I just knew something was wrong with it. I had to look it up and to see it failed its test. It did failed it. So I had to uninstalled it and put on Avast her computer. She is much happier now.

 

[Exterminator]

About a month ago my wife's computer had MES. It kept showing there was a problem. I just knew something was wrong with it. I had to look it up and to see it failed its test. It did failed it. So I had to uninstalled it and put on Avast her computer. She is much happier now.

I dont really understand "It kept showing there was a problem".

Did you actually have a Virus that MSE missed?

Was it a false positive? Every program is going to show an FP from time to time

You have to take all these tests and reports with a grain of salt.Relying on these to make a decision about what security you use for your system is probably not the best advice.My opinion is that good reviews are for sale.If you really want some unbiased advice on a security solution the best thing to do is ask someone here or on a similar trustworthy site.

I agree with Earth the results didnt look that bad to me.

 

[McLovin]

MSE is great if you want an AV that you don't have to configure. It's not bad as an AV, but I still would be picking something else.