Virus Protection is something that is too often ignored. This test virus was developed by the European Institute for Computer Anti-Virus Research (EICAR) to provide an easy and safe way to test whether your anti-virus software is working, and see how it reacts when a virus is detected. It is supported by most leading vendors, such as IBM, McAfee, Sophos, and Symantec/Norton.

To test your anti-virus solution, you can download this test file. The file is totally harmless, and will not affect your computer in any way. If executed, the file simply displays the message:

EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!

If you manage to download the files (disable your anti-virus solution temporarily if necessary), you can email them to yourself, to see how your anti-virus software reacts to them within an email.

Alternatively, please read this article explaining how to perform an EICAR Anti-Virus Test Scan