The European Expert Group for IT-Security (eicar) thankfully have developed an Anti-Virus or Anti-Malware test file, and as they say on the test file’s web page “Since it is unacceptable for you to send out real viruses for test or demonstration purposes, you need a file that can safely be passed around and which is obviously non-viral, but which your anti-virus software will react to as if it were a virus. “
“Using real viruses for testing in the real world is rather like setting fire to the dustbin in your office to see whether the smoke detector is working. Such a test will give meaningful results, but with unappealing, unacceptable risks.”
“The good news is that such a test file already exists. A number of anti-virus researchers have already worked together to produce a file that their (and many other) products "detect" as if it were a virus.”
“You are encouraged to make use of the EICAR test file. If you are aware of people who are looking for real viruses "for test purposes", bring the test file to their attention”
So here we are, I tested the code provided HERE with 5 of the top Anti-Virus products, I simply copied the code to a new text file I created on my desktop, and each Anti-Virus had differently reacted to that file, let’s see what happened:
1- Microsoft Security Essentials was the fastest of them all to react, almost instantly after I copied the code to the text file, and before I save it and close it, warnings popped out, asking permission to delete:
2- 2011 Norton Anti-Virus, was slightly slower to respond, I had to hit save file and before I close it, warnings popped out, and removed the file:
3- 2011 BitDefender Anti-Virus Pro, reacted exactly the same as Norton AV 2011 above:
4- 2011 AVG Anti-Virus was the most lovely and civilized of them all, it didn’t react at all when I copied the code to the text file, it didn’t respond also when I saved the file to desktop, it didn’t even react when I scanned the PC, and it showed no threat at all, but when I decided to download the test file from the net, it immediately showed warning pop ups the moment I hit the download button:
5- 2011 Kaspersky Internet Security, to my surprise was the worst behavior of them all, as I copied that code to the text file, nothing happened, I waited for a few seconds then I hit save file to desktop and nothing happened, then I double clicked the Kaspersky icon in the task bar to see if the program is working on something, and I found nothing abnormal, I was surprised, then I went on to open that test file to make sure I copied all the code correctly, and when I did that, the text file couldn’t open and the PC kind of freeze up, only then the Kaspersky showed orange color and not red warning that something needs to be fixed, I hit fix and nothing happened, the Kaspersky freeze as well as the test file:
6- I had to restart the PC 2 more times and try to delete that test file, only then a red warning popped up, and I couldn’t delete that file at all, nor to terminate the Kaspersky:
7- so I had only 2 choices to stop this nonsense irritating behavior, either I uninstall the Kaspersky, or use the Kaspersky Rescue USB [Check my tutorial about it HERE]to remove that test file, and so I did reboot the PC with the Rescue USB and deleted that test file. SO my advice if you are not a Tech savvy, never try this test file on a PC with Kaspersky installed on it, or you will suffer what I just told you.
8- When I downloaded the zipped version of the file, and the Double zipped version, all the Anti-Virus programs above detected the test file inside the zipped files and deleted them both.
9- Tech Savvies can download the zipped files for testing purposes from HERE.
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Many computer security vendors offer free computer security checks for your computer. Visit this link to check your computer for known viruses, spyware, and more and discover if your computer is vulnerable to cyber attacks.
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1- 2011 Norton Anti-Virus Rescue USB
2- 2011 Kaspersky Anti-Virus Rescue USB
3- 2011 AVG Anti-Virus Rescue USB
4- 2011 BitDefender Anti-Virus Rescue USB
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My Previous Topics & Tutorials HERE
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