AV-TEST The best Windows antivirus software for home users (December 2021)

Disclaimer
  1. This test shows how an antivirus behaves with certain threats, in a specific environment and under certain conditions.
    We encourage you to compare these results with others and take informed decisions on what security products to use.
    Before buying an antivirus you should consider factors such as price, ease of use, compatibility, and support. Installing a free trial version allows an antivirus to be tested in everyday use before purchase.

Gandalf_The_Grey

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During November and December 2021 we continuously evaluated 20 home user security products using their default settings. We always used the most current publicly-available version of all products for the testing. They were allowed to update themselves at any time and query their in-the-cloud services. We focused on realistic test scenarios and challenged the products against real-world threats. Products had to demonstrate their capabilities using all components and protection layers.
Results:
Excel sheet:
Charts:
avtest_2021-12_homeuser_win10_table_en.pngavtest_2021-12_homeuser_win10_chart_en.png
 

Gandalf_The_Grey

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most av's 6/6 points in performance? should I laugh or cry?
sorry, but i dont like av-test.org....av comparatives is more believable to me
I don't defend them, just report, but that's my reason for the linked Excel file.
PROTECTION: Protection against malware infections (such as viruses, worms or Trojan horses)MonthReferenceAverage
Protection against 0-day malware attacks, inclusive of web and e-mail threats (Real-World Testing)NOV33099,4%
Protection against 0-day malware attacks, inclusive of web and e-mail threats (Real-World Testing)DEC/
Detection of widespread and prevalent malware discovered in the last 4 weeks (the AV-TEST reference set)NOV18870100%
Detection of widespread and prevalent malware discovered in the last 4 weeks (the AV-TEST reference set)DEC/
You will see that not everybody scored 100% on all 4 protection tests...
 

cardenas

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most av's 6/6 points in performance? should I laugh or cry?
sorry, but i dont like av-test.org....av comparatives is more believable to me
Their methodology is public and the attached excel sheet in the original post illustrates the data.

The information is there. You can either disprove with your own testing or explain why the data/methodology is flawed. Simply stating you don't like AV-Test isn't objective at all.
 

entropism

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Jul 30, 2019
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You can either disprove with your own testing or explain why the data/methodology is flawed. Simply stating you don't like AV-Test isn't objective at all.
Because when everyone wins "best of the best", then either your testing is flawed, or the tests are too easy.
 
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Andy Ful

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Because when everyone wins "best of the best", then either your testing is flawed, or the tests are too easy.

Or simply there are no significant differences between several AVs in the consumer (home) environment. Also, even if the AV scores perfectly it does not mean that one is perfectly safe, but only that there are probably many more significant dangerous things in daily life. Do you really need something more? You probably do not complain when buying shoes - one shoe in the pair is always longer (but the difference is not significant for most people).
Anyway, some differences are visible when collecting several tests. Here are cumulative results of missed samples in the Consumer AV-Test tests for popular AVs in the year 2021:

RW - Real-World part of the test
MP - Malware Protection part of the test

---------------------- RW & MP
Avast ................ 5 & 9
Avira ............... 13 & 35
Bitdefender ...... 0 & 0
Eset ................ 10 & 11
F-Secure ........... 4 & 0
Kaspersky ........ 0 & 8
Malwarebytes .. 3 & 84
McAfee ............ 4 & 0
Microsoft ......... 1 & 9
Norton ............. 1 & 0
TrendMicro ...... 7 & 0
Samples ... 1858 & 104017

Please note:
These tests do not show which AV is the best in all circumstances and against all kinds of threats.
These tests are similar to bike tests and simply show which popular bikes will be OK in the city. They do not show which of them will be better in the mountains or for trekking.(y)
 
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F

ForgottenSeer 92963

I think both AV-C0mparatives and AV-Test are good testing organizations. In the past there were floating some "monkey sandwich" (internet myth) stories on AV-Test's questionable independent reputation. There is really no proof of these ancient allegations, only long, long, long, long, really long, I mean really really long ago ....

There was an issue between a British consumer association and an Anti-Virus company because the consumer association used according to the AV-company a faulty testing procedure and that AV wanted to prevent that consumer association publishing the results or wanted that they corrected the results or something.

After the initial "we are going to court" noise the whole incident ended with a sizzle (is that correct English?) and it seemed that in the pre-court mediation sessions AV-test assisted the AV with its argumentation and AV-Comparatives supported the consumer association. As far as I can remember it was a lot to do about nothing.

In the AV-Test vs AV-Comparatives, the latter has both its testing method and test-lab certified by independent quality organisations (see spolier) and has a stronger relation to the academic world (see link). When my memory serves me right AV-test method was also EICAR certified in the past and in the past also had a relation with the University of Magdeburg. AV-Test is the largest independent testlab so they probably have not lost their certification and academic relation, they just don't communicate it anymore (it is a proven and well known marketing tactic to stop publishing attributes/qualifications of your product and/or organization when the runner up has more impressive facts to publish on that same attribute/qualification).

1644407384070.png
 
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