How to Test Your Antivirus Software Safely
Overview
If you are concerned about the security and effectiveness of your antivirus software, there are steps you can take to test it and see for yourself how well it performs at detecting and removing viruses and malware from your system, ultimately ensuring that your digital devices and personal information are protected against potential security threats that could compromise your privacy and security online.
The Need for Antivirus Software Testing
The most apparent purpose for testing antivirus software is to ensure that it is initially functioning correctly. As files are received, antivirus software scans them for viruses and blocks any that match its database of definitions. As a result, testing your antivirus is the only way to be certain that it is functioning.
Of course, we’d never advise someone to test their computer’s capabilities by visiting harmful websites. This is comparable to donning body armor and entering a real-world fighting zone. To check whether their protection is up to date, users may test their antivirus software in safe and non-harmful methods.
However, not everyone wants to limit themselves to testing the software’s quality. A software deployment may have taken place in a particular setting or under certain guidelines or restrictions. As a result, carrying out these five tests is an excellent approach to ensure that nothing can get past your checks.
#1) Using the EICAR File, check the download protection.
The EICAR file is an excellent tool to verify if your antivirus is functioning. It’s a harmless file that has a specific text string inside of it. Antivirus software is programmed to look for this file and, if it does, to flag it as a serious infection.
It’s important to understand that the EICAR file is not a virus on its own. Even better, you may create one yourself by pasting the information below into a text file:
X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*It can’t harm your computer since it’s merely a text file containing a 68-byte string. This implies there is no chance of data corruption whether you download, copy, or distribute it over your network. The worst case scenario is that you’ll have a garbage text document hanging on your desktop if an antivirus does fail to halt it.
Download the eicar.com or eicar.com.txt file from the Download link on the same page if you only want to do a quick test. You may download eicar com.zip to test virus detection inside a ZIP file and eicarcom2.zip to test virus detection within a ZIP file within a ZIP file if you want something a bit more powerful for your antivirus. To guarantee that your antivirus software also scans such connections, you may also download via HTTPS.
Remember that despite what your antivirus software may say, the file is only a text file with a string in it and poses no harm to your computer. When the alarm goes off, don’t freak out since it just signifies everything is operating as it should.
Download: EICAR File
On the official EICAR file information website, you may learn more about the EICAR file and how it functions.
#2) SpyShelter’s Keylogger Protection Test
Sadly, the EICAR file is just a file that all antivirus programs have been taught is dangerous, thus it doesn’t put their capacity to detect threats to the test. What would happen if a genuine malicious file attempted to download itself and carry out evil deeds on your PC?
To test this, use the SpyShelter Test Tool. It functions as a data logger in essence and can keep an eye on your keyboard inputs, camera stream, and PC clipboard. Although it is innocuous and doesn’t do anything with the data bar that shows you what it is recording, it is still unquestionably a data logger.
To check whether your computer is able to detect it, you may download the program. In the event that it doesn’t, start the program and test what type of logging you can conduct without getting a warning from your antivirus. This application is an excellent way to test how well your security handles a genuinely dangerous program rather than simply a bogus file.
Download: SpyShelter Security Test Tool
#3) AMTSO
AMTSO stands for Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization. It is a non-profit organization that was established in 2008 with the goal of improving the objectivity, quality, and relevance of anti-malware testing.
AMTSO brings together anti-malware vendors, testers, academics, and others in the industry to develop standards and best practices for testing anti-malware software. The organization also provides resources and tools for improving the quality of anti-malware testing, and it encourages collaboration and open dialogue among its members.
AMTSO has developed a set of standards and guidelines for testing anti-malware software, including guidelines for creating effective test cases and reporting on test results. The organization also provides a framework for testing different aspects of anti-malware software, such as detection rates, false positives, and performance.
#4) With ShieldsUP, test your internet firewall..!
In search of open ports, hackers are searching the internet. If they do, they may connect to the target computer and install malware there to cause havoc with the system. Fortunately, ShieldsUP provides a mechanism to determine if your ports are secure.
By selecting Proceed and then GRC’s Instant UPnP Exposure Test, the test may be started quickly. The website will next try to connect to your router by requesting information from it. The website shouldn’t get any information back if your security is up to par since your firewall should be blocking all inbound requests.
#5)Visit AV-Comparatives to see the test results.
If you don’t want to put your antivirus through its paces, AV-Comparatives will do it all for you. After selecting Test Results, choose Your Provider from the list. You may examine the results of AV-Comparatives’ various tests, along with an overall score that indicates how effective it is.
Conclusion
Testing your antivirus software safely is important to ensure that it’s working properly and providing the protection you need. By following the tips mentioned above, you can test your antivirus software without risking damage to your system or compromising your security.
By safely testing your antivirus software, you can be confident that it’s providing the protection you need to keep your system and personal data safe from threats.
References
Bug Zero is a bug bounty, crowdsourcing platform for security testing. The platform is the intermediatory entity that enables client organizations to publish their service endpoints so that bug hunters (security researchers / ethical hackers) registered in the platform can start testing the endpoints without any upfront charge. Bug hunters can start testing as soon as a client organization publishes a new program. Bug Zero also offers private bug bounty programs for organizations with high-security requirements.
Bug Zero is available for both hackers and organizations.
For organizations and hackers, register with Bug Zero for free, and let’s make cyberspace safe.
