Emsisoft Blocks All Threats in March AVLab Test as Telemetry Takes Priority

AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation’s March 2026 Advanced In-The-Wild Malware Test introduced refined infrastructure management and a continued focus on telemetry quality. Against 421 unique malware samples, Emsisoft Enterprise Security + EDR achieved 100% detection, earning EXCELLENT certification.

The test results show a defense distribution of 80.29% web-layer protection and 19.71% runtime defense, with an average remediation time of 4.67 seconds for Emsisoft. This edition also marked AVLab’s increased emphasis on documenting specific incident cases to demonstrate how different solutions detect, block, and provide visibility into attacks.

Methodology Updates in the March 2026 Edition

AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation implemented infrastructure improvements beginning with this test round. Windows 11 machine management in the Linux host environment was enhanced with clearer separation between BOOT and JOB states. This change addresses areas where VMware’s implementation is incomplete, resulting in fewer API-related errors and greater stability during test execution.

The certification threshold remains at the increased 99.6% level introduced in January 2026. Products must now block all but approximately four samples per thousand to earn EXCELLENT certification. The test continues to use default product configurations, with any deviations documented for transparency.

Starting with this edition, AVLab began documenting specific incident cases to illustrate detection and telemetry capabilities across tested products. AVLab documents each block with logs, screenshots, and process trees. These are available to vendors on request as a detailed technical report.

Threat Landscape and Sample Composition

The March 2026 test comprised 421 malware samples. Of these, 349 were delivered over HTTP and 72 over HTTPS. The continued presence of HTTPS-delivered malware reinforces that SSL certificates indicate encryption, not safety. Compromised servers were located primarily in Germany (152), China (88), and the United States (69).

Living off the Land Binaries (LOLBins) remain central to attack chains. The March test recorded the following invocations among frequently abused Windows tools:

• svchost.exe: 12,910
• msedge.exe: 8,556
• certutil.exe: 8,007
• explorer.exe: 4,914
• sh.exe: 4,137
• taskhostw.exe: 2,955

These statistics reflect the complexity of runtime detection. Malware often executes using trusted system processes, requiring behavioral analysis rather than simple file blocking.

Emsisoft’s Performance

As mentioned, Emsisoft Enterprise Security + EDR blocked all 421 samples, achieving 100% detection and EXCELLENT certification from AVLab.

Defense distribution:

• Web-layer protection (pre-execution): 80.29%
• Runtime defense (post-execution): 19.71%
• Remediation time: 4.67 seconds average. Remediation time measures complete threat neutralization and system restoration, including removal of malicious artifacts and reversal of system changes.

The product was tested with its standard enterprise configuration: default settings, automatic PUP repair, EDR active, Rollback functionality enabled, and browser protection engaged.

Conclusion

The March 2026 test results confirm that Emsisoft Enterprise Security + EDR continues to meet the increased 99.6% certification threshold, blocking all 421 malware samples. The 80.29% web-layer and 19.71% runtime defense distribution reflects a layered architecture that handles threats both before and after execution. The 4.67-second average remediation time indicates automated cleanup within an operational range.

AVLab Cybersecurity Foundation’s methodology continues to evolve. They’ve improved the infrastructure, increased certification standards, and heightened focus on telemetry and incident reconstruction. Emsisoft’s consistent performance provides enterprise buyers with verifiable data for security procurement decisions.