Emsisoft Anti-Malware Secures VB100 Certification with Clean Set Score

In the final Virus Bulletin VB100 test of 2025, Emsisoft Anti-Malware demonstrated its core competency once again: highly accurate threat detection without disrupting legitimate system activity. The product achieved certification with a Grade A detection rate.

The VB100 benchmark: Defining foundational security efficacy

The VB100 certification, established in 1998, remains a cornerstone for evaluating the fundamental capability of endpoint security software. Its objective is to determine if a product can correctly identify widespread, file-based malware while avoiding false alarms on legitimate software. To pass, a product must meet two thresholds:

• Detect at least 75% of the malware in the certification set.
• Generate false alarms on no more than 0.05% of the clean file set.

Performance above the pass mark is graded from A+ (≥99.5% detection) down to D (≥75%). The “Grade A” earned by Emsisoft requires a detection rate of 97% or higher. This grading provides a nuanced performance indicator beyond a simple pass/fail. Also, the test is conducted in compliance with the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO) Standard, ensuring methodological rigor, transparency, and fairness.

December 2025 test analysis: A focus on precision

The test of Emsisoft Anti-Malware (version 2025.9.0.12689) was conducted on December 1, 2025, using VB100 methodology version 1.7 on a Windows 11 Pro platform. The product’s performance data reveals a strong emphasis on precision.

Common and prevalent Windows malware recently observed in the the wild:

• Total Cases: 1,891 samples.
• Detected: 1,843
• Detection Rate: 97.46% (Grade A)

A random selection of some widely and less widely used legitimate program files:

• Total Cases: 100,000 files.
• False Alarms: 0
• False Positive Rate: 0.000%

Read the full report here.

Understanding the VB100 1.7 methodology

The VB100 test simulates a multi-stage attack chain to evaluate a product’s most immediate defensive response. The process is automated by a custom test agent:

• Real-Time Phase: Each malware sample is downloaded and written to the file system. For compatible Windows PE executables, the agent attempts to launch a suspended process. The product can intervene at the network, file write, or process creation stage.
• Follow-Up Phase: An on-demand scan of the file system is initiated. Any remaining malicious files are removed or disinfected.
• Inventory & Validation: The system is inventoried; any file that persists unchanged is considered “not detected.”

Conclusion

The December 2025 VB100 result objectively verifies that Emsisoft Anti-Malware delivers on the essential promise of antivirus software: highly accurate threat detection with exceptional precision. For home users and home offices seeking effective, unobtrusive, and independently validated security, this certification provides a clear, trustworthy benchmark of the product’s core capabilities.