Test results released by a well-known cybersecurity research firm suggest that Microsoft Defender may be among the least effective antivirus solutions on Windows 11. The application was originally released as an anti-spyware program for Windows XP in 2004 and was known as Microsoft AntiSpyware before it was called Windows Defender in 2005. It remained an anti-spyware program for several years before becoming a full-fledged antivirus program with Windows 8. It also went through several name changes over the years, this period before Microsoft finally settled on Microsoft Defender.
Malware is a huge problem on all platforms, including Windows. However, users can choose from dozens of different antivirus programs to protect themselves on the Internet, and many of the most popular are free. Some of the well-known Windows antivirus manufacturers include Avast, Avira, AVG, Kaspersky, BitDefender, Malwarebytes, etc. However, Moscow-based Kaspersky has recently come under scrutiny for its alleged ties to the Kremlin. Earlier this year, the US added Kaspersky Lab to its list of national security threats and warned users that its AV software could be used by Russia to spy on Western targets.
Tests conducted by cybersecurity assessment firm AV-TEST suggest that Microsoft Defender may be one of the worst AV programs for Windows 11. The tests, which were conducted in July-August 2022, placed AV-in-house Microsoft well last among the 19 tested. some products. The software received 16 points out of a possible 18, without getting a full score for protection or performance. On the first he got 5.5 out of 6, while on the second he only got 4.5. The only category where it scored 6/6 was ease of use. This is the first time the test has been run on Windows 11, while the other recent tests have all been run on Windows 10.
Microsoft Defender on Windows 11
Microsoft Defender’s performance on AV-TEST ratings fluctuated frequently. Although the company has received high scores from time to time, it has also sometimes fallen below the expected level. However, it is by far AV’s worst show, which means something must have gone wrong with the show over the past few months. It should be noted that Microsoft Defender shared last place with PC Matic, but the latter still scored better than Defender on the protection and performance fronts.
On the other side of the spectrum, antivirus programs that performed very well and received full scores from the AV-TEST comparison include Avast Free Antivirus and One Essential, AVG Internet Security, Avira Internet Security, AhnLab V3 Internet Security, BitDefender Internet Security, G Data Total Security, Kaspersky Internet Security, K7 Total Security, Malwarebytes Premium and Norton 360. It remains to be seen whether Microsoft Defender can return to its glory days and achieve a full score in the upcoming AV-TEST assessment.