Europe's largest testing laboratory for antivirus products has examined Android security apps for companies and for individual mobile devices. Its use is recommended, as manufacturers such as ESET or Bitdefender keep finding infected apps in the Google Play Store - despite Google Play Protect.
All apps and services were examined in July and August 2022 in realistic tests in the areas of protection, speed (performance), usability (usability) and other functions (features). Some of the apps for companies can be managed within a manufacturer's protection solution or via mobile device management.
The laboratory awards up to 6 points for each test point. The best apps therefore have 18 points and have received a certificate for tested security.
Enterprise apps against Google Play Protect
For comparison, the tested apps also included the test value of the standard protection Google Play Protect. If no protection app is installed, Google takes care of the app check and device protection. The current Protect test values of 2,5 and 3 out of 6 points recommend the use of a commercial protection app. The test also included security apps for individual mobile devices. These are also interesting for companies if they use the BYOD concept (Bring-Your-Own-Device). The apps are then independent of the company network and protect during normal communication.
Protection with enterprise apps
🔎 Android protection in the company (Image: AV-TEST).
The laboratory tested three company products. These are usually part of a larger enterprise protection solution. Many apps can also be managed via mobile device management. In the test:
- Dr.Web Enterprise Security Suite
- Google Play Protect
- Total Defense Premium Internet Security SMB
Security apps for unmanaged employee devices
🔎 Android protection for single devices (Image: AV-TEST).
The following 17 Android security apps can be used for employee devices that are not managed with an endpoint solution:
- AhnLab V3 Mobile Security
- Old AVL
- Avast Mobile Security
- AVG Antivirus FREE
- Avira Antivirus Security
- Bitdefender Mobile Security
- F-Secure SAFE
- G DATA Mobile Security
- Google Play Protect
- Ikarus mobile.security
- Kaspersky Standard for Android
- McAfee Mobile Security
- Norton LifeLock Norton 360
- Protected.net Total AV
- securiON OnAV
- Sophos Intercept X for Mobile
- Trend Micro Mobile Security
Test results of individual devices
More at AV-TEST.org
About AV-TEST AV-TEST GmbH is an independent provider of services in the field of IT security and anti-virus research with a focus on the identification and analysis of the latest malware and its use in comprehensive comparative tests. The fact that the test data is up-to-date enables the quick-response analysis of new malware, the early detection of virus trends, and the investigation and certification of IT security solutions. The results of the AV-TEST Institute represent an exclusive information base and serve manufacturers for product optimization, specialist magazines for the publication of results and end customers for orientation in product selection.
The company AV-TEST has been operating in Magdeburg since 2004 and employs more than 30 people with profound specialist and practical experience. The laboratories are equipped with 300 client and server systems in which more than 2.500 terabytes of self-determined test data of harmful and harmless information are stored and processed. Further information can be found at https://www.av-test.org.