Have you ever wondered if your anti-virus software is really working? Would you like to see what happens when it detects a virus? Here's a safe way to test your computer's virus protection that doesn't require you to have a real virus.

How to create your own TEST Virus:

First, open "notepad". Then copy and paste into it the text on the line below. (It should all be on one line.)

Then save the file and save it as eicar.com. The result should look exactly like the screenshot below:



Your anti-virus software may prevent you from saving the file as eicar.com, which is a sign that it is working effectively. If it doesn't raise an alert, try scanning the folder where you saved eicar.com. To see what happens if you try to run a file containing a virus, double-click eicar.com to open it. If your anti-virus software does not raise any alerts at the above mentioned file then your antivirus software is no-good and you are not safe from threats.

If the virus is detected it will display the message "EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!" in a DOS-window.

WHAT!? Infect my own computer? Are you crazy?

No I am not crazy , the above mentioned file is not a virus, it is simply a test file, a virus wannabe.It is a standard test file developed by the European Institute for Computer Anti-virus Research (EICAR). All anti-virus products are programmed to detect this file as if it was a real virus. Therefore you can safely use it to test whether your anti-virus software works, without fear of infecting your computer.


Source of this and many other articles: SoftMall's Articles