Most of us will never see our Android antivirus apps spit out a warning because most of us will never encounter malware on our phones. So how can you tell if your Android antivirus is actually protecting your phone against the malware that sometimes sneaks onto Google Play or is installed by anoverbearing spouse? Independent testing lab AV-Test is here with the answers.
The Testing
In this round, AV-Test examined 31 Android security apps: Ahnlab V3 Mobile, Alibaba, Anguanjia, Antiy AVL,Avast, AVG, Avira, Baidu, Bitdefender, BullGuard, Comodo, DU Speed Booster, ESET, F-Secure, G Data, Ikarus,Kaspersky, Cheetah Mobile Clean Master, Cheetah Mobile CM Security,Malwarebytes, McAfee , NSHC Droid-X, PSafe Total, Qihoo 360 AntiVirus, Quick Heal Total Security, Sophos, Symantec/Norton, Tencent Manager,Trend Micro, Trustlook, and Webroot SecureAnywhere.
The Testing
In this round, AV-Test examined 31 Android security apps: Ahnlab V3 Mobile, Alibaba, Anguanjia, Antiy AVL,
There were several notable results from this round of testing. Most importantly, the average detection score was an incredible 99.3 percent of the 2,950 malware samples used. The number of false positives--that is, security apps incorrectly marking a safe app as malicious--was remarkably low. AVG had four false positive detections, while Avira and Malwarebytes had one each. The other apps didn't detect any legitimate apps as dangerous.
Winners and Losers
AV-Test assigns its points in three categories: a possible six points for detection, six points for user impact, and a single point awarded for apps with extra features like call blocking.
AV-Test assigns its points in three categories: a possible six points for detection, six points for user impact, and a single point awarded for apps with extra features like call blocking.
Given the high detection scores in this round of testing, it's not surprising that many apps earned perfect scores. Ahnlab, Anguanjia, Antiy, Editors' Choice winner Avast, Baidu, Editors' Choice winner Bitdefender, BullGuard, Cheetah Mobile, ESET, F-Seure, Ikarus, PSafe, Qihoo 360, Quick Heal, Sophos, and Trend Micro each earned a perfect 13 points.
The lowest score went to Malwarebytes, which took home only 9 points. AVG and Trustlook shared scores of 10.5 points, and Alibaba earned 11.5 points. The rest of the contenders took either 12 or 12.5 points.
What Does It All Mean
AV-Test does excellent work, which is why I include their findings in my reviews of Android security apps. But AV-Test's ratings are just a snapshot in time. We've seen some apps get perfect scores in one round of testing, only to drop to the bottom in the next round. Sometimes, all of the apps tank and the overall percentage drops dramatically.
AV-Test does excellent work, which is why I include their findings in my reviews of Android security apps. But AV-Test's ratings are just a snapshot in time. We've seen some apps get perfect scores in one round of testing, only to drop to the bottom in the next round. Sometimes, all of the apps tank and the overall percentage drops dramatically.
But the general trend has been upward, with the average detection rate climbing well above ninety percent. What's more, security apps are doing a better job avoiding false-positive detections, and most now offer more than just malware protection. Also, every app included in this round of testing earned the single bonus point for extra features. That's good for consumers, but AV-Test should probably change how it evaluates bonus features if all the developers have managed to earn it.
The big takeaway for me is that Android security is in good hands, and security companies are working hard to keep it that way.
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