ICSA Labs tests products against larger malware set

ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon, is now testing products in its Anti-Virus program against virus samples from not only the WildList (a database of real-world viruses considered harmful to PC users) but also the Extended WildList, which consists of additional malware, such as keyloggers and Trojans.

ICSA Labs, an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited and 9001 registered organization, is one of the first third-party certification bodies to offer an anti-virus program that tests against the Extended WildList.

To verify a high level of protection for users, ICSA Labs also tests anti-virus products against a collection of proprietary malware samples. The ICSA Labs’ malware collection includes thousands of uncommon or inactive malware samples. While not prevalent, these types of malware can still cause infections.

“In keeping with ICSA Labs’ philosophy, updating criteria to reflect new security threats is the cornerstone of our certification programs,” said Andy Hayter, anti-malcode program manager at ICSA Labs. “To address evolving threats, ICSA Labs frequently updates testing criteria to verify that vendors are making their products more secure. In this instance, anti-virus products must now identify more types of malware.”

To earn ICSA Labs’ certification, anti-virus products must accurately detect at least 92 percent of viruses on the Extended WildList, 100 percent of viruses on the WildList, and 90 percent of viruses on ICSA Labs’ malware collection. Products must also have zero false positives.

Over the next few months, ICSA Labs will evaluate whether the 92 percent detection rate for the Extended WildList should be raised. The lab is working closely with the Anti-Virus Product Developers Consortium, an international group representing anti-virus vendors, on this initiative. Visit the Anti-Virus criteria page to learn more about testing criteria for the anti-virus program, as well as to find a list of certified products.