Virus detection and removal capabilities are the core functions of antivirus software. Evaluating these capabilities typically includes the following aspects:
Virus Detection Rate
- Static Scanning:
- File Sample Library: Using antivirus software to scan a library of files containing known viruses to check if the software can accurately identify and flag the viruses.
- Dynamic Behavior Monitoring:
- Real-time Monitoring: Testing the software’s ability to monitor and prevent the installation or operation of malicious software in real-time.
- Heuristic Detection:
- Behavior Analysis: Evaluating the software’s ability to identify unknown viruses by analyzing software behavior without relying on virus databases.
Virus Removal Capability
- Infected File Recovery:
- File Repair: Assessing the software’s ability to repair infected files after detecting a virus.
- System Repair:
- System Restoration: Evaluating the software’s ability to repair the system after system files have been infected by a virus.
Response Speed
- Virus Database Updates:
- Update Frequency and Speed: Testing how frequently and quickly the software updates its virus database and responds to new viruses.
- Scanning Speed:
- File Processing: Evaluating the software’s speed when scanning a large number of files.
False Positive Rate
- Whitelist Testing:
- Safe Software Detection: Using a large number of known safe software and files to assess whether the software produces false positives.
- Custom Software Testing:
- User-defined Software: Testing user-defined software or scripts to ensure they are not incorrectly identified as malicious software.
Protection Capability
- Real-time Protection:
- Virus Attack Simulation: Simulating virus attacks to test the software’s real-time protection capabilities, including monitoring downloaded files and email attachments.
- Network Protection:
- Network Attacks: Detecting the software’s ability to protect against network attacks, such as phishing websites and malicious links.
User Interaction
- Alerts and Notifications:
- Threat Alerts: Evaluating whether the software can clearly alert users to threats and provide appropriate handling suggestions when a threat is detected.
- Quarantine and Recovery:
- Threat Management: Testing whether users can easily view and manage quarantined files and recover files that were mistakenly flagged as threats.
In evaluating virus detection and removal capabilities, we often use virus samples and test suites provided by third-party organizations such as AV-Test and AV-Comparatives to ensure the fairness and authority of the tests. Additionally, we incorporate threats from actual network environments for a more comprehensive assessment. Through these detailed testing methods, we can more accurately evaluate the virus detection and removal capabilities of antivirus software.
