If you were to visit the 100 most recently reported top malware sites, your computer would be at severe risk. Info stealers could infiltrate your system, collecting any saved passwords to hack into your online accounts. We recently conducted a test to see just how dangerous these threats are, especially without antivirus protection. Fortunately, most users have an antivirus, even if they haven't explicitly installed one—Windows Defender.
Windows Defender has significantly improved since its earlier versions. In this test, we will evaluate its effectiveness in protecting the average user from recent malware threats. Using an automated Python script, we will download and run 100 of the top recently reported malware links.
The Test Setup
We created a folder on the desktop named "malware" for downloading and executing the malware. Already, one file has executed successfully with 53 detections, another with 26 detections, but many are being blocked by Windows Defender. The system is somewhat laggy, indicating the strain on Windows Defender, which, despite some interface issues, is actively detecting threats.
An IP logger did execute, but being behind a VPN mitigated the risk. These results are already better than our previous test without any antivirus, where the system was quickly compromised.
Test Results
After running 100 malware URLs, we achieved a detection rate of 89%. No major malware processes were active on the system. Although some malware executed, Windows Defender managed to block many threats. This is a significant improvement from the days of Windows XP, where such tests would result in numerous popups and rootkits.
Post-Test Analysis
Windows Defender continues to detect and remove threats. Second opinion scans with Hitman Pro and Malwarebytes detected only a few residual files, none of which were deeply embedded in the system. An IP logger did execute, posing some risk of information theft, but overall, these results are impressive compared to having no antivirus protection.
Comparing with Malwarebytes
Out of curiosity, we ran the same test with Malwarebytes, which now offers real-time protection. Malwarebytes blocked all 100 URLs directly, resulting in a cleaner outcome than Windows Defender.
Conclusion
While there are antivirus products with better results, Windows Defender is robust enough for the average user. It provides substantial protection, particularly with cloud-delivered analysis. If you rely on Windows Defender, ensure cloud protection is enabled.
For a deeper dive into antivirus performance, stay tuned for our upcoming tests. Don't forget to like, share, and comment on this video. Are you surprised by the results? Do you trust Windows Defender, or do you prefer third-party solutions? Share your thoughts below.
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