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July 18, 2024 | Text: Markus Selinger | Antivirus for Windows
17 Security Solutions for Windows 11 Clients
Worldwide competition, espionage and global tensions are leading to a mounting flood of cyberattacks. The most commonly used vector is malware targeting a vulnerability or simply a widely dispersed attack using the shotgun approach. That is why companies need to be heavily equipped in the field of cybersecurity, in order to filter out and eliminate the vast number of digital malware samples from their communication. The latest test of 17 security solutions for Windows 11 clients for corporate users demonstrates how well they fare in fending off potential attackers: The market offers strong security solutions!
Windows 11 client security:
17 security solutions for companies put to the test
The AV-TEST database with registered malware samples is growing in leaps and bounds, now totaling nearly one billion Windows malware entries. In the first six months of 2024, 35 million new malware samples were added, significantly more than the 29 million in the first six months of 2023. As a consequence, companies require protection for the Windows client PCs of their employees.
In the months of March and April 2024, the experts at AV-TEST tested a total of 17 solutions for client PCs with Windows 11. All products attaining a final result of 18 to 17.5 points, in addition to receiving a certificate for tested security, also earn further recognition as a TOP PRODUCT. In this test, 13 out of the 17 solutions tested earned this special accolade.
While the 4 additional products fell short of the additional recognition, they still completed the test with good scores of 17 and 16.5 points respectively.
Included in the test were 17 products for corporate users from Avast, Bitdefender (with two versions), Check Point, Cybereason, ESET, HP Security, Kaspersky (with two versions), Microsoft, Qualys, Seqrite, Sophos, Symantec, Trellix, Trend Micro and WithSecure.
Fending off malware on Windows 11 clients
In the first vital test category, protection, the solutions are required in two test phases to show how effectively they can fend off malware. In the real-world test, the lab deploys over 300 samples of totally new malware, so-called zero-day exploits. In the second phase, the reference set, the lab utilizes over 19,000 digital malware samples that have already been known for days, but which are especially dangerous. As the test was conducted in March and April, the table lists four detection results per product.
The following 9 solutions completed the test with 100-percent detection: Avast, Bitdefender (with two versions), Kaspersky (with two versions), Microsoft, Sophos, Symantec and WithSecure. All of these products received the maximum of 6 points.
The products from Qualys, Check Point and ESET experienced minor detection problems, achieving values of 99.1. to 99.8 percent. All other values were 100 percent. For this, they also received the full 6 points. As did HP Security, whereby the product had minor detection problems in the two months.
Overall, Trend Micro, Trellix, Seqrite and Cybereason committed too many errors in malware detection. These products lost one half point each. Thus, 5.5 points remained.
Protection for Windows 11 PCs in corporate environments
The majority of the evaluated products for Windows 11 clients achieved 17.5 or 18 points and are thus TOP PRODUCTs
Strong performance in malware detection under Windows 11
Many of the endpoint solutions for office PCs running on Windows 11 demonstrated error-free detection of all the malware
Too much system load on Windows 11 clients
In the category of performance, the lab examines all products in terms of their use of system resources under Windows 11 running on office PCs. To do so, the testers used a standard PC and a high-end PC, conducting many operations. The team copied many files locally and onto the network, performed downloads, installed applications and launched them. The times measured for these tasks served as a reference value for all other products in the test.
The test revealed interesting results in terms of speed and system load. A total of 9 out of the 17 evaluated solutions for corporate users went easy on the resources of the office PCs and thus received the maximum 6 points: Avast, Bitdefender, ESET, Kaspersky (with two versions), Microsoft, Seqrite, Trend Micro and WithSecure.
The solutions from Bitdefender (Version Ultra), Check Point, Cybereason, Qualys, Symantec and Trellix slowed the systems down somewhat, and thus only received 5.5 out of 6 points.
HP Security and Sophos slowed down the test office PCs too significantly and ended up with only 5 out of 6 points.
Hardly any false alarms on the Windows 11 client
In the test for false alarms, all the products reacted professionally, although the lab had given them various difficult tasks to contend with. First, the lab copied over one million innocuous, executable files onto the systems. Afterwards, the testers installed dozens of popular applications and launch them. The final step involved visiting 500 websites.
All the products except for HP Security recognized the innocuous files almost perfectly with only a few individual exceptions. This was rewarded with the full 6 points. Only HP Security blocked somewhat too many harmless software applications from launching: 5.5 points.
ESET PROTECT Advanced
The business solution from ESET proved to be a TOP PRODUCT, based on error-free performance in all the tests and the maximum 18 points
WithSecure Elements Endpoint Protection
The client security solution for Windows 11 completed all three test phases with top scores, and thus received 18 points, along with the accolade of TOP PRODUCT
Microsoft Defender Antivirus (Enterprise)
The protection embedded in Windows 11, which functions as a client, came through as a TOP PRODUCT, based on its score of 18 points
Kaspersky Endpoint Security
Thanks to the high security performance on the Windows 11 endpoint, both Kaspersky solutions earned the maximum number of points and thus recognition as a TOP PRODUCT
Bitdefender Endpoint Security
In all three test categories of protection, performance and usability, the Bitdefender solution on the Windows 11 client earned the full 6 points, and thus 18 in the final result – a TOP PRODUCT
Avast Ultimate Business Security
With a test result of 18 points, the business solution achieved the top score in the test and deserves the title of TOP PRODUCT
Strong protection for Windows 11 clients in corporate environments
The evaluated security solutions for Windows 11 clients delivered a high degree of excellent protection results. The 2024 March-April test lists 13 out of 17 endpoint solutions achieving a final result of 18.0 and 17.5 points respectively. These products received not only the certificate for tested security but also additional recognition as a TOP PRODUCT.
Among the other 4 products, 3 still received an excellent point score of 17.0. Even the product finishing last still had 16.5 points. There were no losers or bad products in the mix. Rather, corporate users have an extremely large selection of reliable products to choose from, and in selecting security for their companies, they can focus on features and other criteria.
Corporate users seeking to know exactly which security solution can also hold its own the best against attacks in real-life scenarios should definitely check the latest results of the Advanced Threat Protection test. In these extended tests, endpoint products fend off many attacks, although the attackers deploy state-of-the-art techniques. The attackers attempt to deliver their payload of ransomware or data stealers – and sometimes they are successful. The "Disguise and deception – how brand-new malware attacks are carried out on Windows systems" article shows some interesting results.
The best Windows antivirus software for business users
Windows 11: April 2024
