ATP Test: How easily Windows can be tricked by malware

Many users have known for a long time that they always need to keep their Windows up to date so that cyberattackers will have as few opportunities as possible to launch an assault. But Windows itself has a number of vulnerabilities that only security software can mitigate. Interesting fact: Windows attempts to load DLL files even if they are only referenced in code and the actual file does not even exist. Attackers create these phantom files, including malware code, and make them available to a Windows process. This process becomes an unintentional facilitator of the ransomware or infostealer attack. In the latest Advanced Threat Protection test – ATP test for short – 19 protection products for consumer users and corporate users demonstrate whether they see through all these DLL guises, including malware, or whether they fall for them.

Cyberattackers are nothing but criminals who are out to steal something. As they normally cannot find a digital safe containing cash, they commandeer data and demand a ransom for it. That is the essence of the entire business principle behind ransomware or infostealers. While an infostealer typically only extracts data, the ransomware also encrypts important data and usually ends up stealing it as well. It is a basic business model, but unfortunately it has also been extremely successful for years. Even experts have a hard time estimating the amount of ransom money collected. But last year, there were documented payments amounting to roughly USD 40 billion to known wallets of cybergangs. The FBI reported corporate losses of just under 17 billion dollars for the United States alone. The actual losses are likely to be higher, as much of the stolen data is also sold, resulting in further crimes.

The series of ATP tests regularly examines security software to see whether they are up to date and also aware of the latest attack tricks and techniques. In the ATP test taking place in November and December 2025, 10 products for consumer users and 9 solutions for corporate users under Windows 11 were evaluated. […]

LINK: https://www.av-test.org/en/news/atp-test-how-easily-windows-can-be-tricked-by-malware/

Here is an overview of the article: 

  • 19 security products in the ATP test under Windows 11
  • The 10 test scenarios
  • ATP Test: 10 consumer user products
  • ATP Test: 9 products for corporate users
  • ATP test: even crafty malware didn’t stand a chance here

Due to the size of the file, the full set of charts and results from this test-run are not attached, but you can download them from here (about 15 MB): https://www.av-test.org/fileadmin/Tests/Mediapacks/2025/AV-TEST_2025-04_Advanced_Threat_Protection_review_mediapack.zip

Über die AV-TEST – SITS Deutschland GmbH

About the AV-TEST Institute

AV-TEST is an independent supplier of services in the fields of IT Security and Antivirus Research, focusing on the detection and analysis of the latest malicious software and its use in comprehensive comparative testing of security products.

Due to the timeliness of the testing data, malware can instantly be analyzed and categorized, trends within virus development can be detected early, and IT-security solutions can be tested and certified. The AV-TEST Institute’s results provide an exclusive basis of information helping vendors to optimize their products, special interest magazines to publish research data, and end users to make good product choices.

AV-TEST has operated out of Magdeburg (Germany) since 2004 and employs more than 30 team members, professionals with extensive practical experience. The AV-TEST laboratories include 500 client and server systems, where more than 3,500 terabyte of independently-collected test data, containing both malicious and harmless sample information, are stored and processed.

Firmenkontakt und Herausgeber der Meldung:

AV-TEST – SITS Deutschland GmbH
Konrad-Adenauer-Ring 33
65187 Wiesbaden
Telefon: +49 391 6075460
https://www.av-test.org

Ansprechpartner:
Erik Heyland
E-Mail: presse@av-test.com
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