Windows Live OneCare Is Nothing - Topped by Symantec, Kaspersky, McAfee, NOD32, BitDefender

Anybody who is anybody in the security industry delivers products superior to Windows Live OneCare from Microsoft. At least this is the clear indication of the latest round of AV-Comparatives tests from Andreas Clementi. Microsoft OneCare 1.6 was topped by security solutions from household names on the security market such as Symantec, Kaspersky, McAfee, NOD32, BitDefender, AVIRA, AVG, G Data, F-Secure and Avast.

Still there is also a positive perspective over the AV-Comparatives tests, as it indicates a consistent evolution of Windows Live OneCare, synonymous with the improvement of detection rates by no less than 7%. Although OneCare is still well behind the main platoon of security products, Microsoft's antivirus indicated the strongest growth compared to all rival solutions, as its score jumped no less than 7%.

No less than 17 security products were thrown in the arena with in excess of 800,000 samples of malicious code containing Windows, Script and Macro viruses, worms, Backdoors, Trojans and polymorphic viruses. Windows Live OneCare 1.6 managed to come in 15th place and received a certification level of Standard, the minimum AV-Comparatives tier. Avast! Professional Edition 4.7 and McAfee VirusScan 11.2 qualified for the Advanced level of ranking, with detection rates of 95,24% and respectively 93,15%.

AVIRA AntiVir Personal Edition Premium 7.04 scored a detection rate of 99,45%, BitDefender Professional Plus 10 - 97,51%, ESET NOD32 Anti-Virus 2.70.39 - 97,60%, Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0.0 - 98,46%; Symantec Norton Anti-Virus 14.0 - 98,80% and AVG Anti-Malware 7.5 - 97,75%.

The first three products, all multi-scan engines AEC Trustport, Avira's AntiVir and GDATA's AVK all managed detection rates over 99%. The security solutions from Symantec and Kaspersky took positions four and five with more than 98% detection. In this context, Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare is far away from its competitors, but the comprehensive signs of evolution can only be applauded.

However, the data made available for the on-demand scanning engines of the 17 security products tested by AV-Comparatives contradicts the statistics published earlier by AV-Test. According to the ranking put together by AV-Test, Microsoft's antivirus outperformed a number of its competitors.