AV-TEST: Best Android Security Apps Named After Six-Month Endurance Test
Security firm AV-TEST evaluated 11 Android security applications in a six-month endurance test to identify and block malware.
Four Android security applications achieved perfect scores in a six-month endurance test, according to a new report from SITS Deutschland GmbH (AV-TEST).
Security experts tested 11 different apps to detect and ward off over 18,000 malicious programs from various sources. The test focused on the Android 12 operating system and also assessed app background performance, resource consumption, and battery impact. Additionally, it verified that legitimate applications were not incorrectly flagged as harmful.
Over the six-month period, the systems were subjected to constantly changing malware, including over 9,000 new threats from the internet and app stores. Older threats, known for approximately four weeks, were also used in the testing.
Four of the apps attained the maximum 18 points without missing a single attack. Five apps received very good results (17.7 out of 18 points) with only minor errors, while two apps received slightly lower scores (17 and 17.2 points).
The tested apps included vendors such as Avast, AVG, Avira, Bitdefender, F-Secure, Kaspersky, McAfee, Norton, Sophos, TotalAV, and Google's own Play Protect.