# EICAR test file - riskless method to test your antivirus and firewall solution

Disclaimer: There are more meaningful, and more advanced solutions to test your security solutions, but for a quick, simple, and riskless test, the upcoming test files are more than enough.

## EICAR test file

The most common test file to test said solutions is the [EICAR Anti-Virus Test File](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EICAR_test_file). The European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research (EICAR) and Computer Antivirus Research Organization (CARO) developed the test file, and is in the end a simple text file with a plain string of ASCII characters.

`X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*`

Most solutions will prevent you from downloading it or put it into quarantine, since it will be treated as a threat. That said, some providers - for example Malwarebytes [[1]](https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/9994-malwarebytes-cant-detect-eicar-test-virus/)[[2]](https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/191650-malwarebytes-3-frequently-asked-questions/?do=findComment&comment=1077438) - refused to add fake malware / test files to their database since they don't see any benefits. 

More information and the download link can be found [here](https://www.eicar.org/download-anti-malware-testfile/).

Some additional information about the EICAR test file:

* [Anatomy of the EICAR Antivirus Test File](https://blog.nintechnet.com/anatomy-of-the-eicar-antivirus-test-file/)
* [EICAR‘s TEST FILE HISTORY](https://web.archive.org/web/20151216140407/https://www.eicar.org/files/01_-_eicar_test_file_history.pdf)
* [The Use and Misuse of Test Files in Anti-Malware Testing](https://www.amtso.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/AMTSO-Use-and-Misuse-of-Test-Files-in-Anti-Malware-Testing-FINAL.pdf)

#### Vendor specific test files

Various vendors have specific test files for their solutions, but I am not too familiar with them.

* [Broadcom SOCAR cloud test file](https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?legacyId=TECH216647)
* [Cisco AMP test file](https://docs.umbrella.com/umbrella-user-guide/docs/test-file-analysis)
* [FireEye test files](https://community.fireeye.dev/t/testing-sample-files/33)
* [McAfee](https://www.mcafee.com/support/?locale=en-US&articleId=TS101121&page=shell&shell=article-view)
* [Palo Alto Networks test file](https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/wildfire/9-1/wildfire-admin/submit-files-for-wildfire-analysis/verify-wildfire-submissions/test-a-sample-malware-file) + [Additional Malware Test Files](https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/wildfire/u-v/wildfire-whats-new/latest-wildfire-cloud-features/additional-malware-test-files)
* [Panda cloud test file](https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/support/card?Id=40066)

Just use your favorite search engine to look for <name of your solution> + 'test file'. For more advanced tests, reach out to the vendor of choice.

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