Put Your Favorite Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware and Firewall Apps to the Test

There are lots of security programs available, free as well as paid. We all have our own favorite security software, some ppl like avast!, some like NOD32, some ppl like Windows Defender, some like Spybot S&D, some ppl like Windows Firewall, some like Zone Alarm Firewall.

Sometimes it might become confusing which one is better, which one should we use? would not it be great if we can test our security apps?

Here I'm going to share a few sites which provide "Test Files" to check whether a security app is really worth to use or not. These "Test Files" don't harm your system, these are simply piece of code which behave like a malicious code. If your security app detects it, then its a good news for you, otherwise its time to change your app.

So here we start:

Put your Anti-Virus to the Test:

1. Open following link:

Eicar Anti-Virus or Anti-Malware Test File

2. This link contains a test file "eicar.com" which contains a sample code of 64 characters. Your anti-virus program should detect it as malicious file. This is what the developers of this test file have to say:

In order to facilitate various scenarios, we provide 4 files for download. The first, eicar.com, contains the ASCII string as described above. The second file, eicar.com.txt, is a copy of this file with a different filename. Some readers reported problems when downloading the first file, which can be circumvented when using the second version. Just download and rename the file to "eicar.com". That will do the trick. The third version contains the test file inside a zip ARCHIVEe. A good anti-virus scanner will spot a 'virus' inside an ARCHIVEe. The last version is a zip ARCHIVEes containing the third file. This file can be used to see whether the virus scanner checks ARCHIVEes more than only one level deep.

3. So scroll down to the end and download the required file and if your anti-virus program detects it, then you are really lucky and can use your current anti-virus without any problem.

Put your Anti-Spyware to the Test:

1. Now its turn of your anti-spyware program. Open following link:

Spycar Anty-Spyware Test File

2. This link contains various test files requited to test your anti-spyware software. Download each file one-by-one and run them. This is what Spycar developers have to say:

We designed Spycar as a series of different links and associated executables. We did not make it a monolithic one-click-to-conduct-all-actions programs, because an anti-spyware tool may shut down a given program early on in its cycle, without letting Spycar accurately test later modules. That’s why you have to click on each link, giving your anti-spyware tool a fair shot at stopping each individual action.

3. The above link also contains a tool given at last to check the results of this test. You can determine how well your current anti-spyware program performed and whether you should change it or not.

Put your Firewall to the Test:

1. At last its turn of your Firewall program. Open following link:

Firewall Leak Tester (link down)

Alternative Link

2. This link contains 26 different leak tests which you should perform to test your firewall app. Each test requires downloading a test file to perform the leak test. Here is what firewall leak test developers have to say:

Due to the fact that most of the personal firewalls offer reasonable protection against inbound attacks coming from the Internet, we only study here their software filtering, outbound filtering that can be stressed by Trojans which try to initiate themselves by connecting to the outside to transmit data out. To test this software filtering feature, many leaktests (""leak"" test) exist, they are programs created by different authors, each trying to bypass the personal firewalls with his own trick.

3. If your firewall passes all the tests then you should proud of yourself and should continue using your favorite firewall because ti deserves to be used.

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This article was posted in Others, Security Zone, Software Zone, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP.

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34 Comments

Hassan

My Zone Alarm Extreme Security Also Passed All Test
Saif Ali

i'm using kaspersky internet security 2009 & it passed all the tests successfully.
its the best !!!
Jack

The Spycar Anti-Spware link appears to be broken...
VG

^^ Yup. Its down atm. You should check back later.
Britto

hi i m using windows 7 7600. and AVG 8.5. when i star download 1st & 2nd file my antivirous blocked it . when i started download 3rd & 4rt file then my windows action center blocked it but antivirous did nothing. so now my antivirous is safe or not??????????????
VG

^^ All are same files. So if your anti-virus detected first 2 files, no need to worry.
abhi

wow my avg found it
jusil164

yes!!! wooh!!! my eset smart security termenated the connection.... when i start downloadinf the files..
Jim

I also am pleased to announce that my security software past the test.i use avira very good software,it even blocked the spyware test file that i downloaded and of course it blocked the test virus.but the fire wall test was not even tested due to the cojmpany not being n business any longer 12-30-2009 written
car54

Hi Vishal, it looks like Guillaume Kaddouch took down the Firewall test site indefinitely? (at least from the link provided)