What should an independent antivirus test look like?

Hi everyone,

With all the talk over AV-C and Comodo I want to take a survey and collect some of y'all thoughts for a new blog post I plan on writing. I want to know in your thoughts what should an "independent antivirus test" look like? How should it be performed? How should it be funded?

I look forward to seeing everyone's thoughts. Also note I am not looking for bashing of any testing group I want to know your thoughts on what an independent antivirus test should look like.

 

Mainly I just want to see a test done by a regular person who doesn't know the integrity of the file they're installing.

Count how many files total were in the folder.
Count how many legit files and how many malicious ones there were.
Count how many of the legitimate files were installed properly.
Count how many malicious files were installed.

 

Would love such a test!

 

Isn't AMTSO supposed to be helping to standardise AV tests?

 

Spot on!
If AMTSO does Not serve that, it should be abolished...

 

There's more than one way tests can be funded and conducted. What makes the results valid is disclosing the testing and funding methods. People who do tests at a professional level have to be paid. I don't think there's anything wrong with vendors paying as long as it's made clear. Consumer Reports is a "non profit" that doesn't take money for tests, but few companies are large enough to work that way.