What AV-Test does

AV-TEST is an independent IT security testing institute headquartered in Magdeburg, Germany and operated by SITS Deutschland GmbH. Founded in 2004, the organization has conducted comparative testing and certification of antivirus and security software for over 20 years. Its core business is running standardized quarterly test cycles for Windows, MacOS, and Android security products, divided into home-user and business-user tracks. Each product is scored on protection, performance, and usability on an 18-point scale, with products reaching 17.5 points awarded TOP PRODUCT certification and additional categories such as Approved Corporate Endpoint Protection. Advanced Threat Protection tests layer on 10 real-world ransomware and infostealer scenarios scored up to 35 points, and Network Threat Protection tests evaluate routers, DNS services, Secure Web Gateways, and VPN products against network-layer attacks. IoT testing covers smart home devices, IP cameras, and smart watches or fitness trackers.

The company's technology backbone is AV-ATLAS, a publicly accessible threat intelligence platform that catalogs malware samples, tracks new threats every 3-4 seconds, and currently holds over one million specialized MacOS specimens and approximately 920-995 million Windows malware samples (about 8% year-over-year growth). AV-TEST also publishes weekly Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) reports with a regional focus on D-A-CH, Benelux, and Scandinavia, processing millions of URLs weekly for threat detection and producing visual analyses of European cyber incidents. Its marketing and demand-generation footprint centers on the av-test.org website, an annual awards ceremony (now in its 15th year, awarding 25 awards to 12 manufacturers across 11 categories in 2025), and active social channels across LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X, and YouTube, with multilingual support in English, German, French, and Spanish.

Revenue is generated from three streams: B2B commissioned testing and certification engagements sold to security product manufacturers, a recurring CTI weekly subscription for European cyber intelligence, and ATP/NTP testing services. Customers include major security vendors such as Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, McAfee, Avast, AVG, Avira, F-Secure, TotalAV, ESET, Seqrite, Microworld, and CrowdStrike, alongside IoT device manufacturers and enterprise subscribers. With 11-50 employees, no venture funding, and no public listing, AV-TEST operates as a privately held niche specialist whose certifications carry regulatory weight under the EU Cyber Resilience Act, DORA, and NIS2 frameworks.

Name

AV-Test

Legal name

SITS Deutschland GmbH

Website

http://www.av-test.org/en/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AV-TEST is an independent German security testing institute that certifies antivirus and security software for Windows, MacOS, Android, and IoT devices, serving consumer and enterprise vendors and operators of the AV-ATLAS threat intelligence platform and weekly CTI reports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Testing & Certification

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

IoT Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Testing & Risk Audits (HSAHAJAC)

Keywords

• Antivirus software testing
• Security product certification
• Malware threat intelligence
• Endpoint protection testing
• IoT security evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Magdeburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Certification Testing: Testing and certification services for antivirus and security software products. Manufacturers submit products for evaluation across protection, performance, and usability categories. Products scoring 17.5+ points receive TOP PRODUCT certification.
2. CTI Weekly Reports Subscription: Weekly Cyber Incidents Report providing cybersecurity intelligence on European cyber incidents with regional focus on D-A-CH, Benelux, and Scandinavia regions.
3. Commissioned Testing Services: Custom testing engagements including Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) tests using 10 real-world ransomware and infostealer scenarios. Products can score up to 35 points in ATP tests.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AV-TEST is an independent security testing institute that conducts standardized comparative tests and certification for antivirus, antimalware, and endpoint security software across Windows, MacOS, Android, and IoT platforms. It offers quarterly testing programs (home user and business user), Advanced Threat Protection tests, Network Threat Protection tests, IoT device security evaluations, and the publicly accessible AV-ATLAS threat intelligence platform. It also publishes weekly CTI (Cyber Threat Intelligence) reports focused on European regions.

Product overview

AV-TEST Institute operates as an independent security testing organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of testing and certification services for IT security products. The core offering consists of quarterly testing services for antivirus and security software across Windows, MacOS, and Android platforms, divided into home user and business user categories. Additional testing services cover Internet of Things devices including smart home products, IP cameras, and wearables. The company maintains AV-ATLAS, a publicly accessible threat intelligence platform cataloging malware samples. CTI Reports deliver weekly cybersecurity intelligence focusing on European regions. Network Threat Protection (NTP) Tests evaluate routers, DNS, SWG, and VPN products. The company also conducts Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) tests using real-world attack scenarios with ransomware and infostealers. AV-TEST Awards recognize top-performing security products annually. All testing follows standardized methodologies across Protection, Performance, and Usability categories, with products earning certifications and TOP PRODUCT designations based on scores.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Security Software Testing Services Independent testing and certification of antivirus and security software products for Windows, MacOS, Android, and IoT devices. Evaluates protection (malware detection), performance (system impact), and usability (false positives).
• AV-ATLAS
• CTI Reports (Cyber Threat Intelligence Reports)
• Network Threat Protection (NTP) Tests
• Home User Antivirus Tests
• Business User Antivirus Tests
• IoT Device Testing
• Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) Tests

Quantifiable outcome

• Products scoring 17.5+ points receive TOP PRODUCT certification and 'Approved Corporate Endpoint Protection' certificate
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AV-Comparatives: Austrian-based independent testing lab that performs comparative tests of antivirus and security software across consumer and business segments. Most direct competitor to AV-TEST in Europe, with overlapping scoring methodologies and vendor customer base.
• SE Labs: UK-based independent security testing lab that evaluates endpoint, network, and email security products using real-world attack scenarios. Competes directly with AV-TEST for vendor certification engagements and enterprise credibility.
• MRG Effitas: Independent testing organization specializing in online banking, financial malware, and real-world threat protection assessments. Direct competitor in the independent endpoint and anti-malware testing space.

Broad incumbents

• ICSA Labs: Now part of Verizon Business, ICSA Labs provides certification testing across a wide range of security products (firewall, anti-malware, network). Broader portfolio than AV-TEST but with overlapping certification offerings.
• MITRE Engenuity (ATT&CK Evaluations): Runs the widely respected ATT&CK Evaluations for EDR and endpoint security products. A broader-incumbent testing initiative with strong vendor mindshare, partly competing with AV-TEST's Advanced Threat Protection tests.
• Gartner (Magic Quadrant / Forrester Wave for EPP/EDR): Gartner's analyst research — including the Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms — competes for influence on enterprise security vendor selection. Less direct product overlap but substitutes for AV-TEST's buyer guidance role at the procurement stage.

Emerging players

• VirusTotal: Google-owned malware intelligence and file-scanning aggregator that processes millions of samples daily. Emerging overlap with AV-TEST's AV-ATLAS platform, particularly in the malware intelligence and community-facing threat data space.
• AppEsteem: Anti-malware and application certification organization focused on deceptor-based testing and software credibility. Operates in adjacent security product certification space with overlap on trust/certification programs.

Regional players

• PC Security Labs (PCSL): China-based independent antivirus testing lab conducting comparative tests on consumer and enterprise endpoint products. Geographic regional peer — does not directly compete in Europe but serves the same vendor certification niche in the APAC market.

Others

• Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO): Industry body that establishes testing methodology standards for the anti-malware industry. Not a direct competitor, but a co-creator of the testing framework AV-TEST operates within and a stakeholder in the lab's continued methodological credibility.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/avtestorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/avtestorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/avtestorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avtestorg

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AV-Test