Many of us have an antivirus or firewall installed on our computer to protect it against known and unknown malware. You will agree that malicious software can be very devious. They get into the computer when you least expects and stay there until an antivirus detects it. However, by the time of detection, the damage might already be done, and you wouldn’t know for sure what information is missing or stolen from your computer for that you can test antivirus software to see that it's working properly or not.
The real question is this; even if you have the best total security antivirus installed on your computer, how do you know it is protecting your computer? How do you know you are not threatened by online frauds? The software will most likely tell you that your device is protected or that it is enabled. However, how do you know for sure that something hasn’t been tampered with?
Well, you could download a real virus from the internet into your computer, but you will be risking your computer being infected if care is not taken. Let’s discuss some ways you can test antivirus software for the best total security. You could also click here to search up a nice comparison of the best anitvrus softwares on the market today.
Use the EICAR file
One sure way to test that your antivirus is working is to use the EICAR file. It is simply an unharmful file that contains a string of text. The good thing here is that antiviruses are programmed to detect this file and raise an alarm that a virus has been found.
However, you should note that the EICAR file isn’t a virus.
Since it is only a text file, it can’t do any damage to your device, but your antivirus should recognize it and alert you if it is working. So, of course, you can download, copy, and share the EICAR file on your network without risking anything whatsoever. The only downside is the junks of text document lying on your computer with no usefulness.
You can also get more info to test antivirus software when you go to the EICAR website.
Use SpyShelter to test your keylogger protection.
The EICAR file helps to check if the antivirus on your computer is active. Unfortunately, it doesn’t utilize the antivirus’s ability to spot a threat. The EICAR file is simply a file antivirus are programmed to believe is harmful, nothing more. What do you do if an actual virus or malware tries to download itself on your computer?
Also Read - Which is better, Bitdefender or Kaspersky?
That is where the SpyShelter test tool comes in. it is a data logger that monitors your activity; your computer clipboard, webcam feed, and keyboard inputs. While it doesn’t do anything with this information, but your antivirus should detect it.
You can download the tool and see if your antivirus detects it. If it doesn’t, you can boot the tool and see what type of activity your antivirus will alert you on. In general, the SpyShelter tool is a great program to ascertain how your antivirus handles real malware rather than a file like the EICAR file.
The system shutdown simulator
The system shutdown simulator is another interesting way to test antivirus software installed on your computer. You can create the EICAR file with the system shutdown simulator with the click of a button, but it can do more. This tool lets you test if the EICAR file will be detected by your antivirus after a system shutdown has been initiated.
Apart from that, the system shutdown simulator also lets you do a silent download, automate firewall testing execution, and test HIPS by creating an auto-start registry entry. To use this tool, download it online and run it as an administrator.
Once it is running, click on the button that reads Shutdown Computer. Your computer will then attempt to shut down, but you will be notified that an app is preventing it from shutting down. Afterward, click the Cancel button to stop the Shutdown, and you will be taken back to the Desktop.
There, you will notice that the antivirus software’s icon is gone. Now, click on the button that reads “Create Eicar Test File.” If the antivirus warns you or detects the Eicar file, then you are in safe hands.
Conclusion
Investing in an antivirus has all the benefits you can mention in the world. But testing the best total security antivirus is going the extra mile, and it puts your mind at rest. The last thing you want happening is discovering that malicious programs have infected your computer after installing an antivirus.
To ensure this does not happen, test your antivirus by all the tests we have discussed in this piece. Downloading the Norton antivirus also saves you from stress. It is perfect for gamers, families, and corporations alike. The software blocks hackers from seeing whatever you do online, over public Wi-Fi and even in your home network.
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