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MRG Effitas Q2 2024 360 Degree Assessment and Certification

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Test Lab

MRG Effitas

Test Title

MRG Effitas Q2 2024 360 Degree Assessment and Certification

AMTSO Test ID

AMTSO-LS1-TP118

Platform

Windows

Vendor

AVAST, Avira, Bitdefender, ESET, Microsoft, Symantec, Threatdown, Trend Micro

Publication date

2024-08-28
More info on tester site

Statement from Test Lab

Since its inception in 2009, MRG Effitas has strived to differentiate itself from traditional testing houses by having its primary focus on providing “efficacy assessments” and not just performing “tests”. Traditionally the testing of security software has been aimed at measuring a product’s ability to detect malware. Testing has evolved rapidly over the last couple of years with most labs, under the direction of AMTSO (of which MRG Effitas is a member) striving to conduct “Real World” testing, based on standardised guidelines.

AMTSO Standard compliance info

Notification issued

2024-05-30

Notification method

Publicly posted test plan, Contact list notification

Test plan

View test plan

Commencement date

2024-06-03

Participants

2
These Vendors chose to adopt Participant status under the AMTSO Standard, gaining certain guaranteed rights in return for attestations.

“Included” Vendors

6

These Vendors did not chose to adopt Participant status under the AMTSO Standard, but may have engaged with the test lab in other ways.

Commentary dates
CommentaryStart dateEnd date
Phase 1 Commentary2024-06-032024-06-10
Phase 2 Commentary2024-09-022024-09-10

Commentary received

VendorCommentary phaseComment
SymantecPhase 1

The Phishing Simulator test uses “Specially crafted URLs” instead of real phishing sites. Simulated phishing sites can be used only to test product claims of proactive phishing protection. Phishing features must be tested with real phishing sites. These crafted URLs are not real phishing sites.

This also applies to the Financial Malware Simulator and Ransomware Simulator tests. These should only be performed on products that claim proactive protection against malware and ransomware, respectively. These two categories do apply to
Symantec.

Generally, crafted samples are artificial and not fully representative of the real world.

RESPONSE FROM TEST LAB:

Simulator tests are all synthetic, in house-built samples which are in use for many years now.
They are to identify every protection capability or lack of it in all products.
Also, phishing simulator cases do not affect the certification, they are only informational.

AMTSO Standard compliance status

Confirmed Compliant with AMTSO Standard v1.3Compliance report

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