Hello
Which are the most credible anti-virus/anti-malware software review websites?
Thanks
J
EDIT: e.g. How about av-test.org - are they any good?
Last edited by ship69; 05 Sep 2019 at 08:37.
They seem to be reliable and independent. They also offer a paid-for consultancy service.
Frequently asked questionsAV-TEST said:
I find that AV-TEST is biased. Look at the ratings of the AVs they review, they are almost all perfect and they claim that most of them have a high performance (meaning less performance impact on the system) but according to my testing, that wasn't the case.
I only trust AV-Comparatives personally they are not biased and the most important test to me is the performance test as I care about system performance the most and most AVs nowadays do a good job it's just the matter of which ones don't bog my system down. See: Comparison | AV-Comparatives
I've been studying AVTest results for 5 years and I have not seen any indications of bias. I do not think you will go far wrong if you use their test results but do click on each line of results so you can read the detaiils.
I do take issue to some extend with presentational aspects of their results.
- They lump several things into their 'performance' score and I would prefer to see the effects on installation performance separated out because it is quite different in its effect on the user [installations being an occasional rather than a continual task].
- In their usability score, they take no account of ease of use [i.e. "usability"] so I think the item should be renamed. When I experimented with several common AV applications five years ago, the difference in ease of use between them was probably the most significant difference I identified.
I do not understand the comment above about their results being "almost all perfect". Their current test results, for example, only allocate full marks to 4 applications.
Denis
There is no way of knowing how honest those tests are, I try to see what others are experiencing with the products and figure it out myself. "Reviews and Testing" publications have always left me a little suspicious, it's just another racket to make money in.
I think as long as you take the results with a pinch of salt they can be useful as an indicator of how well various products perform.
But, as with anything, performance varies based on your particular setup, internet usages etc. etc.
I usually look at a few sites to see the latest results, though I tend to look closely at AV Comparatives for the most part:
AV-Comparatives | Independent Tests of Anti-Virus Software
@ship69 -
None of these websites are truly credible, IMHO, as the landscape is always changing.
Use Windows Defender or Norton Security for you AV/FW - full time.
Use Malwarebytes (free) and SuperAntiSpyware (free) on demand to get a consensus about a drive, file or files.
That's what I use (with some other tools) and I am quite pleased.
Hope this helps you.
Smaller ones and user reviews. Big ones are very well paid by AV companies. If they can not be bribed, they are sued or discredited NSS Labs Sues CrowdStrike, Symantec, ESET, AMTSO for Alleged Testing Conspiracy
Test Library - MRG Effitas
Testy | AVLab.pl
I do exactly the same as you and Ive been happy with the results. For me its Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Free. I have read advice on here that Malwarebytes Free isn't necessary nowadays though..but Im not too sure about that, so I still use it on a weekly basis only@ship69 -
None of these websites are truly credible, IMHO, as the landscape is always changing.
Use Windows Defender or Norton Security for you AV/FW - full time.
Use Malwarebytes (free) and SuperAntiSpyware (free) on demand to get a consensus about a drive, file or files.
That's what I use (with some other tools) and I am quite pleased.
Hope this helps you.
I also use SAS along with my trusty Webroot and a vpn, Multilayered protection is the best way to go. I also use two high quality bike locks on my bike, thieves will tell you they hate this, and will walk right past your bike in most cases. One security solution is rarely enough protection for anything in today's world.
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