Authentium - Benefit Or Parasite ?

I have been the lucky beneficiary if a magnificent additive to my program package of an obscure resident called AUTHENTIUM. Rather like those foreign lottery scams, where you glibly take part and lose your home as a result.

Where did it come from ? I never invited it into my home. Is it a cybernetic poltergeist ?

I have a shrewd suspicion that Microsoft in their loving and caring way of looking after our every needs, implanted this obscene object on my system, as it has done with everybody else.

I gather it is some Earth shattering anti-virus exterminator, but I have no indication that it ever does anything but cause a nuisance and be a redundant piece of rubbish on my hardware disk. It appears completely speechless and conspicuous by it`s absence.

One anti-virus supplier even told me to get rid of it, because it was causing conflict with their own program. I think it was Spybot.

As it is a Microsoft parasitic infestation in all Windows XP versions and probably others too, can anybody tell me what exactly it does and why the thing exists at all ? Can I delete it without incurring the wrath of Microsoft and suffering the curse of Allah ?
KAS

 

Authentium is AV/Security vendor that uses F-Prot engine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authentium

If you got one of their products, its probably legit.

 

Okay, so here is a funny thing... (or? ) If Authentium indeed uses F-Prot, it's pretty weird AV-Comparatives are including Command Anti-Malware, but NOT F-Prot in their testing! Have FRISK themselves decided to not participate?

 

I think FRISK pulled out last year itself from AV-Comparitives after they became a paid test.

For details on Authentium's use of F-Prot 6 engine, see this thread:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=180126

 

But AV-Comparatives still have rules for their participants, right? A lot are still participating (paying), though.

 

It the AV vendors choice. Some like Panda feel tests are baised and others don't want to pick up the bill.

 

Well my ISP provides their whole security suite free labeled "Safe & Secure". I never tried it, paying for NOD on the desktop and Avira Free on the laptop. If I ever I read that this it top notch stuff I might go with it someday. For now I'll stick with NOD and Avira and the apps in my signature!

 

You can checkout the result of the latest AV-Comparitives test. It includes Authentium, so you can get a good idea vis-a-vis NOD32 & Avira.