AV-Comparatives - Real-World Protection Test - March 2013

[Actually many people here at Wilders who worship AVC and AV-Test]

I would dispute that statement. However, many of us, or at least me, have no way of evaluating anti virus/malware applications except tests by what we believe to be the best test labs.
Having followed AV-C from its beginning I am persuaded that it is as objective as possible. If you do not think that, then prove its error.

Statements such as, "Test it yourself." are pure nonsense. I really doubt anyone here has in total the facilities, personnel, time, and expertise to do the job.

I will continue to trust and rely upon AV-C until someone proves it is either faulty or biased to the extent that it is unreliable. No, I don't think it is perfect, but it is better than anything else in that area.

Sometimes I think of the old saying, "Them that can, do.Them that can't are the critics."

Regards,
Jerry

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Very nice. I did not know this. Windows 8 does not need MSE at all then.

 

Osaban, what you quote from Wikipedia is kind of right but not exactly (outdated).

First it was GIANT's Antispyware appslication and Microsoft bought GIANT company. After that Microsoft released a free beta1 version of Microsoft Antispyware which resembled GIANT's version but has the MS logo on it.

After that it changed dramatically with beta2 of Microsoft Antispyware and it finally turned out to be Windows Defender. It was first Windows Defender version 1. Version 1 was available as a free download for Windows XP and version 1 is included into Windows Vista default. Only version 1 has real-time security agents that monitor several common areas of Windows for changes which may be caused by spyware - these are kind of HIPS like features that monitor the registry for suspicious autoruns, activex, explorer extentions, etc.
In case of known one they can just inform, in case of suspicious/unknown - they can just warn or totally block the change.

After that Windows Defender evolved into version 2 - this version is what is included in Windows 7.
Version 2 includes only antispyware protection and it removes the antispyware agents and the HIPS-like features. It is supposed to only make automatic decisions and not to disturb users. Most visibly it only warns of signature/heuristic detection and the HIPS-like features are automatic and invisible.

At some time OneCare was dismissed/shelved and Microsoft Security Essentials started to appear and evolve. Microsoft Security Essentials also has version 1 and version 2.

Microsoft did not release version 3 of their anti-malware products. There is no MSE v3, neither Windows Defender v3.

Now Windows Defender is version 4 and MSE is version 4. They both look like the same, they share the same engine and both update from Microsoft Malware Protection Center (though definitions are released at different times of the day). Windows Defender in Windows 8 is version 4 - different from previous versions and is up-to-date with other current MS security products.

// Microsoft business security products - Forefront Endpoint Protection, System Center Endpoint protection might have had version 3 - I don't remember. Microsoft business security products also use the same engine and also update from Microsoft Malware Protection Center (though definitions are released at different times of the day)/ //