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AV-Comparatives Security Survey 2025 published

13. February 2025

AV-Comparatives has released the results of its yearly IT Security Survey for 2025. The findings illustrate users’ current preferences and concerns regarding cybersecurity. The opinions and insights from the end-user community provide essential feedback, helping shape the future of cybersecurity solutions and testing methodologies. We sincerely thank all the respondents who took the time to contribute.

The full security survey report is available here. Download the PDF here.

We asked users general questions about their preferred IT products, including operating systems, browsers, security software, and their primary sources for cybersecurity information. This year, we also explored the biggest cybersecurity fears among users and their perspectives on potential sources of cyber threats. Additionally, we investigated which security products (both consumer and business) users would like AV-Comparatives to test in the future.

Some key findings include:

  • The survey received 1,277 valid responses from real users across 93 countries. The United States had the highest number of participants, followed by Germany and China.
  • Over two-thirds of respondents prefer paid desktop security programs, with advanced users overwhelmingly opting for paid solutions.
  • Windows 11 has overtaken Windows 10 as the preferred operating system, though older versions remain popular among non-expert users.
  • Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome continue to be the most widely used browsers.
  • Android dominates the mobile OS market (75%), though iOS is preferred by advanced users.
  • A significant 39.3% of respondents do not use mobile anti-malware, including 43% of IT professionals.
  • The most widely used desktop security solutions are Microsoft, Bitdefender, ESET, and Kaspersky. Microsoft leads in North America, while Kaspersky is most popular in Europe, Asia, and South America.
  • Over one-third of participants do not use a VPN, and those who do have diverse preferences.
  • AV-Comparatives and AV-Test are the most trusted independent testing sources, though younger users are increasingly relying on social media and YouTube for cybersecurity information.
  • The most requested consumer security tests focus on Bitdefender, ESET, Microsoft, and Kaspersky, while enterprise solutions demand includes CrowdStrike, Sophos, Cisco, Bitdefender, and ESET.
  • Over 50% of respondents plan to transition to Windows 11 in 2024–2025, particularly advanced users, while 32% prefer Windows 10 due to compatibility and privacy concerns.
  • Major fears among users include cyber insecurity, misinformation, economic instability, and extreme weather events. Younger respondents particularly fear AI risks and unemployment, while older users are more concerned with health and migration issues.
  • In terms of cyber threat sources, Russia (53%), China (47%), North Korea (31%), and the USA (30%) were named as top concerns. Additionally, 15% of respondents expressed concerns about domestic surveillance within their own countries.

More findings and details are included in the full report. Like all AV-Comparatives’ public test reports, the IT Security Survey 2025 report is available free of charge and without registration. You can access the full report here.

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