Warentest checks virus monitors
Windows Defender is not good enough
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Stiftung Warentest tests 19 antivirus programs for Windows. Only one software is very good, 13 perform well, including six free solutions. The preinstalled Windows Defender is one of the worst performers because it lacks an important protection function.
Most antivirus programs for Windows 10 and 11 reliably protect against computer viruses and Trojans, including Microsoft's preinstalled software. In the latest test by Stiftung Warentest, it performs well Windows Defender but only satisfactory (2.6) and is therefore one of the losers in the comparison of 19 virus monitors. The difference is the phishing protection, which has a glaring weakness in Microsoft's on-board tool: It does not work with Google's widely used Chrome browser.
Although it has an appropriate protection function integrated, Stiftung Warentest found that the best antivirus programs tested intercept more than twice as many phishing pages as Chrome. Windows Defender only offers good phishing protection if you use Microsoft Edge.
The only very good software is with an overall grade of 1.4 G Data Internet Security (40 euros/year). The protective effect (1.4), handling and computer load are very good, and only for this program did the auditors find any deficiencies in the data protection declaration.
Almost all competitors have significant deficiencies in this category, which resulted in the overall grade being downgraded by 0.3. That's why the ones that are otherwise also very protective follow Avast One Individual (45 euros) and Bitdefender Internet Security (35 euros) together in second place with a quality rating of 1.6.
Third in the league is the free antivirus program Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Windows. The software is occasionally annoying with advertising and slows down computers slightly, but it protects even better (1.1) than the test winner.
Stiftung Warentest also tested Kaspersky Default (20 euros) and its free version Kaspersky Free. Both protect well, and the testers found the handling and computer load to be very good. However, the Russian manufacturer's programs did not receive a quality rating because the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) warns against them and advises using other antivirus software.
No abnormalities have been identified so far. But “in the context of the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine, a Russian IT manufacturer could itself conduct offensive operations, or be forced to attack target systems against its will, or be spied on as a victim of a cyber operation without its knowledge or as a tool be misused for attacks against its own customers,” writes the BSI. Kaspersky rejects the allegations.
