AV-TEST Evaluates Security Software Against Latest Ransomware Techniques

IT security lab AV-TEST has conducted a comprehensive evaluation of 25 security products to assess their effectiveness against the newest ransomware attack methods. The testing incorporated advanced techniques such as polyglot files, DLL sideloading, and nested password-protected self-extracting archives, methods also employed by malware like Emotet.

The evaluations revealed that while many products successfully neutralized a significant portion of threats, not all managed to overcome every challenge. Consumer-focused products, in particular, showed mixed results. For instance, Avast (One Essential), AVG, Bitdefender, F-Secure, Kaspersky, Microsoft, Microworld, and PC Matic successfully detected and blocked all tested attack techniques.

Several other products, including G DATA, VIPRE Security, Norton, and Malwarebytes Premium, identified the threats but demonstrated limited or no capability to prevent file encryption. Avast (Free Antivirus) failed entirely in one scenario.

The report also details the performance of corporate solutions against sophisticated ransomware attacks. Products achieving at least 75 percent of the maximum score received special advanced protection certification.