Virus Bulletin VB100 Awards – August 2012

Virus Bulletin has released their latest VB100 awards results for August.  Fifty-one participants were tested.  The test was done on Windows 7.  This could be the last time the test is done on this platform?  The previous  test was done on Windows Server 2008.   Given the timing of this test, products used were essentially 2012 versions.As has been the case for several years, Symantec and Trend Micro were not part of the test. PC Tools, owned by Symantec, was.

About a third of the products tested failed to receive a VB100 award this time.   A cone of shame to the following - Agnitum, Central Command, CMC Internet Security, Comodo (interesting), Defenx, eEYE, ESTsoft, Filselab, GFI VIPRE, Ikarus, iolo, Lavasoft (Ad-Aware, the free antivirus version is typically a  CNET download Top 20  favorite), Optent, Quick Heal ,Roboscan,  and VirusBuster.  AVG Technologies, Commtouch, and TrustPort redeemed themselves from the last test.  

A summary of the results is at the link below.  You can   buy the full test results or subscribe to Virus Bulletin for the full results, as well.

 https://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/archive/test?recent=1

 

Results from this should be looked at in conjunction with tests from other test groups such as www.av-test.org   and www.av-comparatives.org .  Also,   it’s not how the company has performed on the VB100 test over years.  It’s only the last couple of years that are relevant.  Though ESET’s record of 74 and 2 is quite impressive.

VB100 Test Methodology

The purpose of the VB100 comparative is to provide insight into the relative performance of the solutions taking part in the tests, covering as wide a range of areas as possible within the limitations of time and available resources.  More details are available at

http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/about/methodology.xml

UK based Virus Bulletin  started in 1989.  They provide  PC users with a regular source of intelligence about computer viruses, their prevention, detection, and removal, and how to recover programs and data following an attack.  The Virus Bulletin website is at www.virusbtn.com

  

February 2012 – Virus Bulletin RAP Averages Quadrant, August 2011 through February 2012

Virus Bulletin has released their latest RAP Averages Quadrant, representing August 2011 through February 2012. The top 10 (some eyeballing necessary):

1. Emisoft
2. Coranti
3. Auslogics
4. G Data
5. TrustPort
6. eScan
7. Avira Free
8. BullGuard
9. BitDefender
10. Ikarus

The top 10 in the April 2011 through October RAP Quadrant

1. Emsisoft
2. Bkis
3. Coranti
4. TrustPort
5. eScan
6. Avira Pro
7. BullGuard
8. BitDefender
9. Avira Free
10. Lavasoft

All of these achieved greater than 90% on Reactive Detection and Proactive Detection. Congrats! There was turnover in the latest test as four companies were replaced in the top 10.

McAfee has to be disappointed. However, neither Symantec nor Trend Micro are present on this grid. PC Tools, owned by Symantec, was. Rising was at the bottom, only because Kingsoft wasn’t on the Quadrant this time.

The relative performance of vendors can best be viewed by looking at the RAP Averages Quadrant chart at

http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/latest_comparative/index

Subscribers to Virus Bulletin's publications have access to more details on the results.

RAP Averages Quadrant

This test measures products' detection rates across four distinct sets of malware samples. The first three test sets comprise malware first seen in each of the three weeks prior to product submission. These measure how quickly product developers and labs react to the steady flood of new malware emerging every day across the world.. A fourth test set consists of malware samples first seen in the week after product submission.

About Virus Bulletin

Virus Bulletin started in 1989 as a magazine dedicated to providing PC users with a regular source of intelligence about computer malware - its prevention, detection, and removal. In addition, how to recover programs and data following an attack.

http://www.virusbtn.com/index