After installing Anti Virus, you may logically wonder, how do I know if it’s working? The answer is a test virus. The EICAR Standard Anti Virus Test File is a combined effort by
anti-virus vendors throughout the world to implement one standard by which customers can verify their anti-virus installations.
To test your installation, copy the following line into a new text document, then save the file with the name EICAR.COM. More detailed instructions are found below.
X5O!P%@AP[4PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*
The file size will be 68 or 70 bytes.
If Virus Scan is running and configured correctly, when you try to save the file, VirusScan will detect the virus. If VirusScan is not running, start it and scan the directory that contains EICAR.COM. When your software scans this file, it will report finding the EICAR test file.
Note that this file is NOT A VIRUS. Delete the file when you have finished testing your installation to avoid alarming unsuspecting users.
The eicar test virus is available for download from the following website:
http://www.eicar.org/download/eicar.com
Creating Eicar.com File :
- Click on Start, Select Run. In the box opened type: notepad.
- Copy the Following Highlighted text :
X5O!P%@AP[4PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*
- Switch back to Notepad, Right click anywhere inside of Notepad and select ‘paste’.
- Click the File menu and select ‘save as’.
- Change the ‘Save as Type’ to ‘all files’, Name the file eicar.com.
Now You can check any Anti Virus by scanning this File. If Anti Virus shows it as a virus, then its Working otherwise uninstall your Antivirus.