#Austria #AV-Comparatives #Innsbruck #EDR Certification #Cybersecurity Tools

AV-Comparatives Validates Real-World Threat Detection in 2025 EDR/XDR Certification Testing

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, simple detection methods are becoming obsolete. AV-Comparatives has stepped up to address this challenge with its new EDR/XDR Certification for 2025. This certifies the efficacy of cybersecurity tools in uncovering hidden threats in real-world scenarios. According to Andreas Clementi, CEO and founder of AV-Comparatives, this certification assists Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in assessing how effectively their tools respond to advanced cyberattacks.

The independent evaluation assesses enterprise cybersecurity solutions to measure their capability to detect and report actual attacks with precision and visibility. This assessment stands apart from standard tests focusing primarily on prevention, instead simulating complex attack scenarios to evaluate how well products can recognize and log every phase of an intrusion.

Evaluation Methodology

The 2025 certification process tested seven cybersecurity solutions, with five earning the certification. The certified products include:

• - CrowdStrike Falcon Pro
• - ESET PROTECT Enterprise Cloud
• - G DATA 365 MXDR (MDR solution)
• - Kaspersky Next EDR Expert (in pilot testing)
• - Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Pro

This rigorous methodology was initially devised to evaluate EDR and XDR capabilities but has since evolved to include MDR (Managed Detection and Response) solutions. During this testing cycle, G DATA distinguished itself by successfully demonstrating its MDR solution’s effectiveness under controlled and realistic attack conditions.

Focus on Real-World Visibility

The assessment simulated Advanced Persistent Threats (APT), employing known tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) drawn from frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK. An important feature of this test is its operation in monitoring mode, which disables preventive functions to concentrate solely on the tools' ability to detect and report threats rather than block them.

Key Highlights of the Methodology

• - Execution of complex attack chains
• - Validation of detection through alerts in the management console or manual threat searches in telemetry
• - A transparent certification model where only products meeting specific detection thresholds receive certification and are published

Future Improvements

The 2025 validation test incorporates feedback from independent analysts, leading to enhanced transparency, improved scoring, and deeper telemetry validation. More enhancements are planned for the 2026 certification test. The Detection Validation Test remains open to EPP, EDR, XDR, and MDR providers seeking independent validation of their detection capabilities, offering them industry recognition while providing a detailed understanding of their solution's actual performance.

Participation

Vendors interested in participating in the upcoming test cycle can reach out via the AV-Comparatives contact page. Results from recent cybersecurity and antivirus tests can also be accessed on their official site or through various renowned vendors, including Avast, Bitdefender, and more.

For further information, please contact Peter Stelzhammer at [email protected] or call +43512287788.