Joint message from AV-Comparatives and Webroot

  • 3 December 2012
  • 20 replies
  • 161 views

Userlevel 5
  • Retired Webrooter
  • 24 replies
Webroot has supported independent testing of its consumer, business and mobile products for many years. At Webroot’s request, its products have been included in AV-Comparatives’ test series since 2011. Webroot recognizes AV-Comparatives as a leading and highly respected testing organization. In this year’s tests, Webroot products were tested for performance and effectiveness along with many other vendors.
 
The AV-Comparatives team and Webroot have together decided not to include the new SecureAnywhere product line in the 2013 public main-test series. AV-Comparatives recognizes that Webroot’s approach to protecting the user (preventing unauthorized data transmission, combined with protocolling changes and reversing them where possible) would require a different test procedure which is not applied by any testing lab so far. Unfortunately, such a test could in some cases take several days for each single test case to be performed, making it almost impossible to perform a statistically valid test with results comparable with the ones of other security solutions.
 
AV-Comparatives will work with Webroot to investigate the feasibility of developing a test that will assess SecureAnywhere’s protective abilities and allow for comparison with other products.

20 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +56
Great to hear Mike and looking forward to the collective testing procedure with AV-C in the near future! ;)
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel
Userlevel 5
I would like to see this as a press release from both sides, rather than just a forum post. 🙂
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
I would like to see this as a press release from both sides, rather than just a forum post. :)
I don't think that's realistic Tony if anyone wants to know just point them to this thread! Also we don't know what kind of agreement they have behind the scenes.
 
TH
Userlevel 7
Thanks Mike for the information that I gladly kudoed :D
 
I would say ... a dream comes true, at least for me. I was really sad from the complaints on Webroot for the poor results. The main problem of the complaining users was that they didn't understand properly how WSA works and where is its strength and advantage over others. To be honest, WSA should never be compared with conventional AVs. It was just a matter of time when WSA had to be withdrawn from such tests because further participating in these tests would be counter productive and would harm Webroot reputation.
Userlevel 5
Thanks for your support, Pegas and others. We will meet with AV-Comparatives in a few weeks to develop a methodology that fully tests WSA in a way that reflects the unique approach. We will keep you posted.
Mike
Userlevel 4
Badge +13
I agree with Tony. If this is a joint message we should hear from AV-C too.
 
Anyway, thanks Mike for the update
Userlevel 7
I second TH's view. I don't think it is needed to hear from AV-C as well. If there are any doubts anyone can contact AV-C and ask them. However let's trust Webroot in what they are writing here on the Webroot Community.
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
Hello MikeM,
 
Is there any update on or when a testing procedure & tests will be done?
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel
Userlevel 5
Hi, hope youre doing well. We are working on the test process with them at this time. First step will be a small scale proof of concept with a few machines to work out the process flow and timing. Then they will develop a larger scale environment and begin regular testing. I am hoping we can begin to see results in a few months. With their busy schedules and ours its taking time. But we are both committed to make it happen.
Mike
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
Hi, hope youre doing well. We are working on the test process with them at this time. First step will be a small scale proof of concept with a few machines to work out the process flow and timing. Then they will develop a larger scale environment and begin regular testing. I am hoping we can begin to see results in a few months. With their busy schedules and ours its taking time. But we are both committed to make it happen.
Mike
Great to hear there is progress, and I hope you're doing well also! Thanks for the Fast reply and have a great day. ;)
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel
 
 
Userlevel 7
MikeM, thanks for the update.  Please keep us up to date as the process moves forward!
Userlevel 7
Ah thanks for the update Mike. I hope WSA does good in the tests. Good luck webroot.:)
Userlevel 7
While I am pleased that Webroot is heading with AV-Comparatives to a mutual understanding (just to silence WSA sceptics) I don't much care what results of such tests will be. They are still only tests and even if you try to create almost real environment and conditions, they cannot replace the real live conditions. My personal experience is what matters me.
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
While I am pleased that Webroot is heading with AV-Comparatives to a mutual understanding (just to silence WSA sceptics) I don't much care what results of such tests will be. They are still only tests and even if you try to create almost real environment and conditions, they cannot replace the real live conditions. My personal experience is what matters me.
I agree 100% Petr. Want to know how a named security software is doing? Look on their Forum and see how many people are asking to remove malware from their computer. To me that is the real test! ;)
Search the Webroot Forum and see what you find! 😃
Userlevel 7
I try out apps one by one to select what I would use. While personal experience matters greatly, viable, acceptable, reasonable and standard tests certainly influence my preferences.
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
Want to know how a named security software is doing? Look on their Forum and see how many people are asking to remove malware from their computer. To me that is the real test!
I would add also ... look on their forum how many systems were bricked.
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ any update you can give us on the Testing?
 
Thanks,
 
Daniel
Userlevel 4
Sure thing, Triple Helix!
 
I’ve been working with Peter at AVC to design a test which looks specifically at how WSA functions differently from traditional AV’s.
This test would include measuring key data points which are often overlooked in today’s 3rd party evaluations of security products.
These are:
Reaction time or time-till-detection – where zero-day malware samples are used and the time to identification is measured for initially missed samples.
Compromise analysis – where an infected system is analyzed to see how well additional layers of security perform, in our case, ID Shield and heuristic malicious behavior prevention.
Remediation – where the ability of a solution to remove an infection is measured.
 
Unfortunately, our initial discussion for a test hit a few roadblocks.
I reached out last week and things are moving again, however AVC is currently busy with their regular rounds of testing and it would be sometime in September before a custom test would be possible.
 
As 3rd party evaluation of our technology is important, Webroot is also working with a number of new and innovative testing firms. As contracts are still in negotiation, I cannot mention names, but these are highly reputable and highly capable firms.
 
I'll be sure to update this thread as new updates arrive.
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
Thanks so much Grayson for the update it's much appreciated.
 
Cheers,
 
Daniel

Userlevel 7
Badge +56
Hi @ it's been a while is there an update on any testing of WSA?
 
TIA,
 
Daniel 😉

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