The independent security-software evaluation lab AV-Comparatives has released the results of its annual IT Security Survey.
The results are a snapshot of the current state of the antivirus sector and reveal key facts such as the most popular solution and the popularity of additional features bundled in vendors’ products.
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Kaspersky was found to be the most popular desktop security product worldwide, followed by Microsoft, Bitdefender and ESET. Kaspersky also features in the top five products on every continent.
Bitdefender is the most popular mobile security solution overall, with Kaspersky a close second.
Windows 10 usage has fallen from more than 80% in 2021 to 65% this year. This is due to the uptake of Windows 11, which is already in use among 24% of survey respondents.
There has been a slight increase in iOS usage, which now accounts for almost a quarter of users. However, Android remains the most popular mobile OS far and is used by 74% of participants.
A majority of survey respondents were happy with their current security solution, with 85% reporting that they were satisfied or very satisfied.
Free security programs are more popular with younger respondents, whilst older users are more likely to pay for a security solution.
Just over half of survey respondents do not use any of the additional features included in their security product.
The four most popular additional features among the 20% of respondents that used them were webcam protection, antispam, VPN, and a secure browser. Webcam protection was the most popular individual feature, which is likely to be in demand due to the rise of home-working and virtual meetings.
System performance tuners, crypto-mining, data shredders, backup, ransomware folder shields and data breach detectors were the least used. These services were employed by less than 10% of those users who make use of additional features.
Andreas Clementi, co-founder, AV-Comparatives said:
“The results of the annual IT Security Survey are an important and valuable assessment of the antivirus market in 2022. Vendors can use the results to make sure their products are honed to perfection and focused on the needs of users.
“It was interesting to see that additional features are not widely used. Crypto-mining, for instance, has nothing to do with security and carries potential risks. It is questionable whether it should be included in a security product. Whilst data-breach detectors can be useful, many are available for free on the Internet. In some cases, the feature in a security product may just connect to one of these services.
“We urge AV vendors to maintain their focus on delivering products and service that the market is looking for.”
About AV-Comparatives:
AV-Comparatives is an independent organisation offering systematic testing to examine the efficacy of security software products and mobile security solutions. Using one of the largest sample collection systems worldwide, it has created a real-world environment for truly accurate testing.