AV-Comparatives: Real-World Protection Test Feb-Mar 2025 – Factsheet

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Introduction

This fact sheet is a short overview of the Real-World Protection Test results of February and March 2025. The detailed overall result consumer product reports (covering four months each) are released in June and November. Each of the overall result reports will also contain a false-alarm test and will contain the awards the products reached based on their overall scores during the respective four-month period. 

For more information about this Real-World Protection Test, please read the details and previous test reports available on https://www.av-comparatives.org

Tested Products

The following products (latest version available at time of testing) were tested:

• Avast Free Antivirus
  24.12 | 25.2
  
• AVG AntiVirus Free
  24.12 | 25.2
  
• Avira Free Antivirus
  1.1 | 1.1
  
• Bitdefender Total Security
  27.0 | 27.0
  
• ESET HOME Security Essential
  18.0 | 18.0
  
• F-Secure Internet Security
  19.8 | 25.2
  
• G DATA Total Security
  25.5 | 25.5
  
• Kaspersky Premium
  21.20 | 21.20
  
• Malwarebytes Premium
  5.2 | 5.2
  
• McAfee Total Protection
  1.25 | 1.25
  
• Microsoft Defender Antivirus
  4.18 | 4.18
  
• Norton Antivirus Plus
  24.12 | 25.2
  
• Panda Free Antivirus
  22.03 | 22.03
  
• Quick Heal Total Security
  25.0 | 25.0
  
• Total Defense Essential Anti-Virus
  14.0 | 14.0
  
• TotalAV Antivirus Pro
  6.2 | 6.2
  
• Trend Micro Internet Security
  17.8 | 17.8
  
• VIPRE Advanced Security
  12.0 | 12.0
  

Testcases

Our Real-World Protection Test is currently one of the most comprehensive and complex tests available, using a relatively large number of test cases. Currently, we are running this test under updated Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 64 Bit with up-to-date third-party software. Due to this, finding in-the-field working exploits and running malware is much more challenging than e.g. under a non-up-to-date system with unpatched/vulnerable third-party applications.

Over the year we evaluate several tens of thousands malicious URLs. Unfortunately, many of these have to be discarded for various reasons. We remove duplicates such as the same malware hosted on different domains or IP addresses, sites already tested, “grey” or non-malicious sites/files, and malware/sites disappearing during the test. Many malicious URLs carrying exploits were not able to compromise the chosen system/applications because of the patch level. This means that the vulnerabilities in the third-party applications on the system were already patched and the exploits could therefore not deliver their malicious payload. Users should be aware that by always keeping their system and third-party applications up-to-date/patched, they can dramatically decrease the risk posed by exploits.

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