Desktop Security Software

Do you just accept that shiny new anti-virus software works?

Well I guess we have no other option given what it is designed to protect our systems from. We're not going to go looking for a virus to check that our protection system works!

But if you want to see what it would be like if your anti-virus software found a virus, or indeed check that it *can* find a virus the following EICAR method can be used:

Use a text editor (notepad will work) and enter the following text into the first line of a new file:

REMOVE_THISX5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*

but remove the "REMOVE_THIS" characters from the start.

Then try and save this new file as "eicar.com".

Your anti-virus / internet security system may not allow you even save the file - as it may already flag this as a signature of a virus (it is supposed to!)

If you can save this file - use your anti-virus to scan it - it should flag this as a "Eicar Standard AntiVirus test" or some variation of this. It will probably also remove it or quarantine it.

Don't worry - this is not a virus - putting these characters in a file called eicar.com is a way of putting a "test virus signature" into a harmless file for testing purposes.

You could also try zipping this test file and checking the zip file with your anti-virus system - it should flag this file even in a zip archive.

Read more at http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm