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False Alarm Test March 2020

Date March 2020
Language English
Last Revision April 15th 2020

Appendix to the Malware Protection Test March 2020


Release date 2020-04-20
Revision date 2020-04-15
Test Period March 2020
Online with cloud connectivity checkbox-checked
Update allowed checkbox-checked
False Alarm Test included checkbox-checked
Platform/OS Microsoft Windows

Introduction

This report is an appendix to the Malware Protection Test March 2020 listing details about the discovered False Alarms.

In AV testing, it is important to measure not only detection capabilities but also reliability. One aspect of reliability is the ability to recognize clean files as such, and not to produce false alarms (false positives). No product is immune from false positives (FPs), but some produce more than others. False Positives Tests measure which programs do best in this respect, i.e. distinguish clean files from malicious files, despite their context. There is no complete collection of all legitimate files that exist, and so no “ultimate” test of FPs can be done. What can be done, and is reasonable, is to create and use a set of clean files which is independently collected. If, when using such a set, one product has e.g. 20 FPs and another only 3, it is likely that the first product is more prone to FPs than the other. It doesn’t mean the product with 3 FPs doesn’t have more than 3 FPs globally, but it is the relative number that is important.  

Tested Products

Test Procedure

In order to give more information to the user about the false alarms, we try to rate the prevalence of the false alarms. Files which were digitally signed are considered more important. Due to that, a file with the lowest prevalence level (Level 1) and a valid digital signature is upgraded to the next level (e.g. prevalence “Level 2”). Extinct files which according to several telemetry sources had zero prevalence have been provided to the vendors in order to fix them, but have also been removed from the set and were not counted as false alarms. 

The prevalence is given in five categories and labeled with the following colors:  fp_prevalence

LevelPresumed number of affected usersComments
1fp_prevalence_1Probably fewer than hundred usersIndividual cases, old or rarely used files, very low prevalence
2fp_prevalence_2Probably several hundreds of users


Initial distribution of such files was probably much higher, but current usage on actual systems is lower (despite its presence), that is why also well-known software may now affect / have only a prevalence of some hundreds or thousands of users.
3fp_prevalence_3Probably several thousands of users
4fp_prevalence_4Probably several tens of thousands (or more) of users
5fp_prevalence_5Probably several hundreds of thousands or millions of usersSuch cases are likely to be seen much less frequently in a false alarm test done at a specific time, as such files are usually either whitelisted or would be noticed and fixed very fast.

Most false alarms will probably fall into the first two levels most of the time.  In our opinion, anti-virus products should not have false alarms on any sort of clean files regardless of how many users are currently affected by them. While some AV vendors may play down the risk of false alarms and play up the risk of malware, we are not going to rate products based on what the supposed prevalence of false alarms is. We already allow a certain number of false alarms (currently 10) inside our clean set before we start penalizing scores, and in our opinion products which produce a higher number of false alarms are also more likely to produce false alarms with more prevalent files (or in other sets of clean files). The prevalence data we give for clean files is just for informational purpose. The listed prevalence can differ inside the report, depending on which file/version the false alarm occurred, and/or how many files of the same kind were affected. 

Testcases

All listed false alarms were encountered at the time of testing. False alarms caused by unencrypted data blocks in anti-virus related files were not counted. If a product had several false alarms belonging to the same application, it is counted here as only one false alarm. Cracks, keygens, or other highly questionable tools, including FPs distributed/shared primarily by vendors (which may be in the several thousands) or other non-independent sources are not counted here as false positives. 

Test Results

There may be a variation in the number of false positives produced by two different programs that use the same engine (principal detection component). For example, Vendor A may license its detection engine to Vendor B, but Vendor A’s product may have more or fewer false positives than Vendor B’s product. This can be due to factors such as different internal settings being implemented, differences in other components and services such as additional or differing secondary engines/signatures/whitelist databases/cloud services/quality assurance, and possible time delay between the release of the original signatures and the availability of the signatures for third-party products. 

False Positives (FPs) are an important measurement for AV quality. Furthermore, the test is useful and needed to avoid that vendors optimize products to score good in tests by looking at the context – this is why false alarms are being mixed and tested the same way as tests with malware are done. One FP report from a customer can result in large amount of engineering and support work to resolve the issue.  Sometimes this can even lead to important data loss or system unavailability.  Even “not significant” FPs (or FPs on older applications) deserve mention and attention because FPs are likely to be a result of principled rule detections. It just happened that the FP was on an insignificant file. The FP possibility is probably still in the product and could potentially cause an FP again on a more significant file. Thus, they still deserve mention and still deserve to be penalised.

Below you will find some info about the false alarms we observed in our independent set of clean files. Red entries highlight false alarms on files that were digitally signed. 

1.Trend Micro1no/very few FPs
2.ESET2 few FPs
3.G DATA3
4.Total Defense6
5.Bitdefender7
6.VIPRE8
7.Microsoft9
8.Kaspersky10
9.Avast, AVG15 many FPs
10.Avira, F-Secure24
11.McAfee, Norton, TotalAV25
12.K747 remarkably many FPs
13.Panda48

Details about the discovered false alarms

trendmicro 1 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
Emsisoft package  TROJ_GEN.R03BC0WGK19 

 

eset 2 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
MessengerHistory package ML/Augur trojan
Schnapper package ML/Augur trojan

 

3 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AltTab package Gen:Heur.Dreidel.gm0@w0TcLHQi
HTTPdown package Trojan.GenericKD.41780427
STOP package Trojan.GenericKD.41630944

 

total-defense 6 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AltTab package Gen:Heur.Dreidel.gm0@w0TcLHQi
ArchiCAD package Malicious Application Blocked
CRL package Malicious Application Blocked
Hex2Dw package Gen:Variant.Midie.70649
HTTPdown package Trojan.GenericKD.41780427
Stop package Trojan.GenericKD.41630944

 

bitdefender  7 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AltTab package Gen:Heur.Dreidel.gm0@w0TcLHQi
Enter package Detected threat
HTTPdown package Trojan.GenericKD.41780427
Nobu package Detected threat
STOP package Trojan.GenericKD.41630944
Xlite package Detected threat

 

vipre  8 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AltTab package Gen:Heur.Dreidel.gm0@w0TcLHQi
Enter package Malware (General)
Haushalt package Malware (General)
Hex2Dw package Gen:Variant.Midie.70649
HTTPdown package Trojan.GenericKD.41780427
Norton package Malware (General)
Preatorians package Malware (General)
Stop package Trojan.GenericKD.41630944

 

microsoft  9 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AhnenForscher package Exploit:O97M/CVE-2017-8570.A
CleanGP package Threats found
Coe package Threats found
Google package Threats found
Gunrox package Threats found
PCW package Threats found
Rkill package Trojan:Win32/Bluteal!rfn
Spamihilator package Trojan:Win32/Vigorf.A
WildTangent package Threats found

 

 10 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
ChromeBackup package UDS:Trojan-Spy.MSIL.KeyLogger
eMedia package HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic
Encarta package HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Agent.gen
EsReg package HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic
PowerTools package UDS:Trojan.Win32.Agent.gen
PrettyMay package UDS:DangerousObject.Multi.Generic
Quiz package HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic
Steganos package Trojan-Spy.Win32.Keylogger.bfib
Vancouver package File deleted
VistaCodecs package UDS:Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Blocker

 

avast  15 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AvancePaint package Win32:Malware-gen
CloneMaster package Win32:Evo-gen [Susp]
DiskRescue package Win32:Malware-gen
EFProcess package FileRepMalware
ExtractNow package Win32:Malware-gen
Fujitsu package FileRepMalware
Gunrox package Win32:Malware-gen
Image package FileRepMetagen [Malware]
Lame package Win32:Malware-gen
MPlayer package FileRepMalware
SerwerCharger package FileRepMetagen [Malware]
TrojanHunter package Win32:Malware-gen
Vancouver package FileRepMalware
VIPRE package Win32:Malware-gen
VirtualDub package Win32:Trojan-gen

 

avg  15 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AvancePaint package Win32:Malware-gen
CloneMaster package Win32:Evo-gen [Susp]
DiskRescue package Win32:Malware-gen
EFProcess package FileRepMalware
ExtractNow package Win32:Malware-gen
Fujitsu package FileRepMalware
Gunrox package Win32:Malware-gen
Image package FileRepMetagen [Malware]
Lame package Win32:Malware-gen
MPlayer package FileRepMalware
SerwerCharger package FileRepMetagen [Malware]
TrojanHunter package Win32:Malware-gen
Vancouver package FileRepMalware
VIPRE package Win32:Malware-gen
VirtualDub package Win32:Trojan-gen

 

avira 24 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AvancePaint package TR/Gendal.2110729 (Cloud)
BMC package HEUR/APC
Books package HEUR/APC (Cloud)
Code2 package BDS/Backdoor.Gen7
Dungeon package TR/Crypt.XPACK.Gen
Enter package TR/Rogue.11580780 (Cloud)
FastNet package HEUR/APC (Cloud)
GhostX package TR/Agent.399872.12 (Cloud)
GP package TR/Drop.Unruy.B
Konwerter package TR/Gendal.162304.D (Cloud)
Moorhunt package TR/Dropper.MSIL.43342
NetworkFile package HEUR/APC (Cloud)
PCW package HEUR/APC (Cloud)
Prosto package TR/PSW.OnlineGames.xmim.1 (Cloud)
Przerwa package TR/PSW.Agent.yda (Cloud)
Savage package TR/Dropper.Gen8
StuffIt package TR/Crypt.CFI.Gen
TheBards package TR/Crypt.ZPACK.Gen
Tribes package TR/Crypt.ZPACK.imevs
VideoTeka package HEUR/APC (Cloud)
Wesnoth package TR/Crypt.PEPM.Gen
WinGuard package DR/Dldr.VB.ilr (Cloud)
WTW package TR/Yarwi.cylci (Cloud)
Zombie package TR/Clicker.hlkm (Cloud)

 

f-secure 24 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
ArcConvert package Suspicious:W32/Malware!DeepGuard.p
AvancePaint package DR/Dldr.VB.vsc
DiskTuna package HEUR/APC
Dungeon package Trojan.TR/Crypt.XPACK.Gen
EasyPing package Trojan.TR/Drop.Unruy.B
Enter package TR/Rogue.11580780.529b0d732c!fsocap
GhostX package TR/Agent.399872.12
Konwerter package TR/Gendal.162304.D
Lame package TR/Gendal.5618461
Moorhunt package Trojan.TR/Dropper.MSIL.43342
Odkurzacz package Heuristic.HEUR/AGEN.1041088
Outlook package Backdoor.BDS/Backdoor.Gen7
PCW package HEUR/APC
ProcessManager package TR/PSW.OnlineGames.xmim.1.fbb0df7ef2!fsocap
Przerwa package TR/PSW.Agent.yda.84b14d8b61!fsocap
RogueKiller package Trojan:W32/Gen4135.a0a97083b1!Online
Savage package Trojan.TR/Dropper.Gen8
StuffIt package Heuristic.HEUR/AGEN.1007053
TheBards package Trojan.TR/Crypt.ZPACK.Gen
Tribes package TR/Crypt.ZPACK.imevs
Wesnoth package Trojan.TR/Crypt.PEPM.Gen
WinGuard package DR/Dldr.VB.ilr
WTW package TR/Yarwi.cylci
Zombie package TR/Clicker.hlkw

 

mcafee 24 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
ACFB package Suspect!b7bbce6eb5a2
AvancePaint package Suspect!9930c9bd6332
Checksig package Suspect!444b290283bf
CleanGP package Suspect!f7a20bc0df8b
CleanMgr package Suspect!565d20aa7102
Controler package Suspect!540ee00a2576
DeskLine package Suspect!f4c69f4aa0f1
Enter package Suspect!5b5ff0a64112
File package JTI/Suspect.262201!ce9aa0f4a2fb
GGTuner package Suspect!11cd5d5dce45
Image package Suspect!88b2b41ba5c9
Lame package Suspect!7fdc8cb35613
NetScan package Suspect!dacc0584d81e
NetServer package Suspect!3dd02329f096
Patrician package Suspect!2beba7912086
RegistryWorkshop package Suspect!288e42aae9ca
SipGate package GenericRXHT-BN!4C44A4935628
Spectrum package Suspect!cf7f1be6ee8a
Sqirlz package Suspect!d71093b18f7c
Stop package Suspect!1cadb0641fe1
Swieta package Suspect!6c496c2462ab
SysPad package Suspect!492e568aefdb
UltraDefrag package Suspect!621dec30b678
USIM package Suspect!62b284cc1bcf

 

25 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
AutoMKV package Trojan.FakeAV
AvancePaint package Trojan.Gen
Babylon package Heur.AdvML.C
Brothers package Heur.AdvML.C
CarJacker package Suspicious.Epi.3
CleanGP package Suspicious.Epi.3
Controler package Suspicious.Epi.3
Dimio package Heur.AdvML.C
DirectX package Trojan.Gen.X
Dooble package Suspicious.Epi.3
Dowcip package Suspicious.Epi.3
Earth package Suspicious.Epi.3
Easo package Trojan.Gen
FastHide package Trojan.Gen.2
Hardcopy package Trojan.Gen.2
Juarez package Suspicious.Epi.3
Konwerter package Trojan.ADH
Lame package Suspicious.Epi.3
ProcessMonitor package Heur.AdvML.C
RMCA package Heur.AdvML.C
SysPad package Trojan.ADH.2
TeamViewer package Trojan Horse
Wesnoth package Suspicious.Epi.3
XiceCube package Suspicious.Epi.3
Xion package Suspicious.Epi.3

 

25 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
Access package Threat Prevented (Url)
AvancePaint package TR/Gendal.2110729
BMC package HEUR/APC
Dungeon package TR/Crypt.XPACK.Gen.544
EasyPing package TR/Drop.Unruy.B
eBooks package HEUR/APC
Enter package TR/Rogue.11580780
FastNet package HEUR/APC
GhostX package TR/Agent.399872.12
JFX package HEUR/APC
Konwerter package TR/Gendal.162304.D
Lame package HEUR/APC
Moorhunt package TR/Dropper.MSIL.43342
NetworkFile package HEUR/APC
Odkuzacz package HEUR/APC
Outlook package BDS/Backdoor.Gen7
ProcessManager package TR/PSW.OnlineGames.xmim.1
Savage package TR/Dropper.Gen8
ServiceCenter package HEUR/APC
StuffIt package HEUR/AGEN.1007053
TheBards package TR/Crypt.ZPACK.Gen
Tribes package TR/Crypt.ZPACK.imevs
VideoTeka package HEUR/APC
Wesnoth package TR/Crypt.PEPM.Gen
WinGuard package DR/Dldr.VB.ilr

 

k7  47 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
3D package NetWorm ( 700000151 )
ActOfWar package Trojan ( 0055e4051 )
Audapad package NetWorm ( 700000151 )
AudioConverter package Suspicious Program
AutoHotKey package P2PWorm ( 0055e3ea1 )
AutoMKV package Suspicious Program
B2DD package Virus ( 000000001 )
Battlefield package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
CleanMgr package Suspicious Program
CopyPod package Suspicious Program
CRL package Suspicious Program
Defrag package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
DiaShow package Suspicious Program
Dogma package Spyware ( 0055e3db1 )
DTC package Virus ( 000000001 )
FastStone package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
GMER package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
GTA package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
Hosts package Suspicious Program
InstallAware package Suspicious Program
JkDefrag package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
Kaspersky package Backdoor ( 000d6e3c1 )
Kidzy package Suspicious Program
Killbox package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
Kurt package Suspicious Program
Mailbox package Suspicious Program
MyUninstaller package Trojan ( 0017a8521 )
Nattyware package Suspicious Program
NetworkFile package Suspicious Program
Odk package Trojan-Downloader ( 000560ee1 )
Office package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
Opera package Riskware ( f15000051 )
PCconnectivity package Trojan ( 0047648f1 )
PCInspector package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
Plastic package Suspicious Program
Platform package Suspicious Program
PrintService package Virus ( 000000001 )
RedEyes package Suspicious Program
ReplayParser package Suspicious Program
RP package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
SkiRacing package Suspicious Program
Spamihilator package Suspicious Program
Super package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )
TagesAnzeiger package Suspicious Program
Trine package Suspicious Program
Wavosaur package Virus ( 000000001 )
XuPlayer package Riskware ( 0040eff71 )

 

 48 False Alarms
False alarm found in some parts of Detected as Supposed prevalence
ArcConvert package Blocked
AVIopen package Blocked
Battery package Blocked
Bestellbuch package Blocked
Brothers package Blocked
CheckSig package Trj/CI.A
Cue package Blocked
Decryptor package Blocked
DirSaver package Blocked
Dowcip package Blocked
EA package Blocked
eBooks package Blocked
Elster package Blocked
eMedia package Blocked
EQSecure package Blocked
FileSplitter package Trj/GdSda.A
Fraps package Trj/GdSda.A
GhostX package Blocked
Google package Blocked
Grub package Blocked
InterfaceLift package Blocked
Keen package Blocked
MalwareBytes package Blocked
Microsoft package Blocked
Nexus package Blocked
NoteCase package Blocked
Orca package Blocked
Password package Blocked
PCW package Blocked
Preatorians package Blocked
ProcessMonitor package Blocked
Schnaeppchen package Blocked
Shredder package Blocked
SK package Blocked
SortMenu package Blocked
Tawerna package Blocked
Techland package Blocked
TFT package Blocked
TheBard package Blocked
Tiscali package Trj/CI.A
Tribes package Blocked
Trine package Blocked
Ulead package Blocked
Uninstall package Blocked
Vancouver package Blocked
Wisco package Blocked
XiceCube package Blocked
Xlite package Blocked
Zchron package Blocked

Copyright and Disclaimer

This publication is Copyright © 2020 by AV-Comparatives ®. Any use of the results, etc. in whole or in part, is ONLY permitted after the explicit written agreement of the management board of AV-Comparatives prior to any publication. AV-Comparatives and its testers cannot be held liable for any damage or loss, which might occur as result of, or in connection with, the use of the information provided in this paper. We take every possible care to ensure the correctness of the basic data, but a liability for the correctness of the test results cannot be taken by any representative of AV-Comparatives. We do not give any guarantee of the correctness, completeness, or suitability for a specific purpose of any of the information/content provided at any given time. No one else involved in creating, producing or delivering test results shall be liable for any indirect, special or consequential damage, or loss of profits, arising out of, or related to, the use or inability to use, the services provided by the website, test documents or any related data.

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