The good and the bad about AV multi scanner services

G Data Software has an interesting article featuring the good and bad about multiple AV scanner services. These services are used by Majorgeeks and many file downloading sites to test if a file is clean. The known downside is many times you receive a false positive which is why Majorgeeks has always tested software before posting to test the program quality, as well as safety for the end user.

Essentially you can upload a file and it will test it with about 40 different anti-virus programs to see what comes back. If something comes up as potentially dangerous you need to research what the danger is and if it is a false positive. As a typical rule it is not usually a problem when you see a couple of warnings because this usually means a false positive.

A couple of known downsides do exist. First, most of these online scanners are limited to very small file sizes so you cannot test large files. This is, again, where Majorgeeks testing of software comes in handy. Second, there could be newer malware that is not recognized and this is a very difficult, but rare, situation. This is why Majorgeeks and many other file sites warn you to be careful even though we have tested the file. We can confidently tell you the file is safe, but there is never a guarantee even though some make this promise.

One downside this article points out that I had not given much consideration is that the bad guys can also use these scanners to see if their software can pass the tests and make it out into the world and onto your computer. The same system so many use and trust can also be used to the bad guys advantage.

Finally, G Data Software concludes exactly what Majorgeeks has always said; you can trust Majorgeeks but you still need to be careful and apply some common sense.

“Behavior detection, heuristic methods, intrusion prevention, sandbox mechanisms, cloud technologies and other technologies, like our own G Data BankGuard technology, will stop a lot of new malware proactively or just right after its appearance on the Internet. Comprehensive AV products do not rely on virus signatures only. But online multi scanners do – and this is a huge difference you should know about while using the public services. The online multi scanner analyses can give you an initial idea of the file checked, but not more. You need to know how to interpret and read the results properly.“