Microsoft Fails AV-Test Certification

German antivirus lab AV-Test continually tests popular security suites against real world threats and reports the results every two months. For the most part, the researchers alternate between testing under Windows 7 and under Windows XP. The latest Windows 7 results show a significant drop in most scores. In particular, Microsoft failed to achieve certification.

How They Tested
The test rates each product in three categories: protection, repair, and usability. Protection refers to preventing attack by a collection of malware samples that includes widespread malware, recent detections, and zero-day attacks. The repair score is based on the product's ability to detect already-present malware and remove it thoroughly. Products lose usability points if they significantly impact system performance or falsely report valid programs as malicious.

In each category, a security product can earn from zero to six points. To receive certification, the product needs a total of 11 out of the 18 possible points.

Most Scores Drop
The current test results report on testing during September and October of this year, while the previous test under Windows 7 was conducted during May and June. Of the 23 products tested, 16 scored worse this time around, some of them quite a bit worse.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition, VIPRE Internet Security, and Microsoft Security Essentials all scored three full points lower than in the previous Windows 7 test. With 12.5 and 12.0 points respectively, AVG and VIPRE achieved certification. Microsoft, with 10.5 points, didn't make the cutoff.

The full report online reveals the source of the problem. Microsoft scored just 1.5 points for protection. It was particularly ineffective against zero-day threats, with a protection rate below 70 percent where top products managed 100 percent.

Some Winners
Bitdefender Internet Security remains the champ, with 17 of 18 possible points. F-Secure Internet Security and Kaspersky Internet Security both had 16.5 points last time; in the current test they drop to 15.5 and 15.0 respectively. Norton Internet Security also stands at 15.0, down from 15.5.

AV-Test's results track pretty closely with my own malware blocking and malware removal tests. Bitdefender, Kaspersky, F-Secure, and Norton all do a good job, while Microsoft weighs in very near the bottom.

Similar Results for Business Products
AV-Test ran a parallel test on business security products from F-Secure, Kaspersky, McAfee, Microsoft, Sophos, Symantec, Trend Micro, and Webroot. The results were quite similar. F-Secure Client Security topped this group, with 16.5 points, while Microsoft's Forefront Endpoint Protection bombed, earning just 9.5 points.

If you're using Windows 8, take these results as a wakeup call. Yes, Windows Defender is enabled automatically when no other antivirus is present, but its technology comes from the Microsoft products that failed the recent tests. Don't rely on it. Install a better antivirus right away.