Test Your AntiVirus Software

[hacker4u]

I Don't Know if u Know about it before But Check it out Its Cool.......

Have you ever wondered if your anti-virus software is really working? Would you like to see what happens when it detects a virus? Here's a safe way to test your computer's virus protection that doesn't require you to have a real virus.

First, open Notepad. Then copy and paste into it the text on the line below. (It should all be on one line.)

X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*

Then select File, Save, select All Files for the file type, then save the file with any extension which ends with ".com" for example "animea.com".

Your anti-virus software may prevent you from saving the file ,which is a sign that it is working effectively. If it doesn't raise an alert, try scanning the folder where you saved the notepad file. To see what happens if you try to run a file containing a virus, double-click on the saved notepad file to open it.

Explanation:

The file animea.com you have created is completely safe. It is not a virus. It is a standard test file developed by the European Institute for Computer Anti-virus Research (EICAR). All anti-virus products are programmed to detect this file as if it was a real virus. Therefore you can safely use it to test whether your anti-virus software works, without fear of infecting your computer.

Conclusion:

If your anti-virus product should fail to prevent you from running the file, it will simply display the text "EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE" in a DOS box. No harm will have been done, but you should probably consider using a better anti-virus product, because if it had been a real virus, your computer would by now be infected!

Do & Tell me.....!!

[Deekle]

Well, first of all, I don't have notepad or a PC. But this is interesting, I am going to test it on a friends computer. I've been trying to convince him to switch anti-viruses.

[hacker4u]

hahahaha don't b much afraid its not at all a harmful stuff........
nd what do mean by u don't have a notepad or a PC..........

[Deekle]

My main computer is a Mac, textedit is the replacement and i don't even have a "scan folder" option seeing as I don't use an Anti-Virus. I don't go on harmful sites and my Internet is tunneled and many more things. It would be hard for someone to connect to me and access my files.

[RighteousRob]

I just tried it and it works for sure, as soon as I tired to save it avast sounded an alert warning me about it. pretty cool thanks for the tip,

both avast and webroot moved the item before I could save it

avast was the first to pop up with a warning giving me options on what I want to do with the file such as ignore delete move rename and such, if I chose to ignore it webroot antivirus automatically quarantined the file although I can change the options to prompt me first if I chose to

[Mini_M4life]

I added X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*, then , when i saved it, and going to rename it, my antivirus quickly delete it! I use symantic ;) THX hacker4u...
...but if it hurts my computer, i will get ya >:( .... who am i kidding ^_^

[ljetibo]

wow, thanks this is really useful

it worked perfectly for me

[hacker4u]

Originally Posted by Deekle7

My main computer is a Mac, textedit is the replacement and i don't even have a "scan folder" option seeing as I don't use an Anti-Virus. I don't go on harmful sites and my Internet is tunneled and many more things. It would be hard for someone to connect to me and access my files.

That is nice 2 know....

Originally Posted by RighteousRob

I just tried it and it works for sure, as soon as I tired to save it avast sounded an alert warning me about it. pretty cool thanks for the tip,

both avast and webroot moved the item before I could save it

avast was the first to pop up with a warning giving me options on what I want to do with the file such as ignore delete move rename and such, if I chose to ignore it webroot antivirus automatically quarantined the file although I can change the options to prompt me first if I chose to

ya that's really a cool tip 2 share too nyway thax for the reply here.....

Originally Posted by Mini_M4life

I added X5O!P%@AP[4PZX54(P^)7CC)7}-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!+H*, then , when i saved it, and going to rename it, my antivirus quickly delete it! I use symantic ;) THX hacker4u...
...but if it hurts my computer, i will get ya >:( .... who am i kidding ^_^

ya i am sure that nothing will happen from my side but b careful who knows what may happen.....

Originally Posted by ljetibo

wow, thanks this is really useful

it worked perfectly for me

No probs thax for sharing ur exp.

[public]

thanks for the tips....and my anti-virus worked perfectly