EICAR-Test-File is not a threat, it was created to imitate the detection of a threat by antivirus software. It is a 68-byte file with the .com extension which displays a text message.
Earlier, different files were created by cybersecurity software vendors to demonstrate how their solutions behave upon detection of a threat. Later, the vendors have agreed upon developing a standard simulator which consists of a simple line of text. This allows any user to initiate a detection manually, e.g. by copying the text to a file from the documentation.
The resulting EICAR file looks like this:
You can copy this line of code and save it to a text file or download the ready-to-use eicar.com test file from the Kaspersky server by following one of the links:
When you run the file, it will show the message EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE! and return the control to the operating system. Cybersecurity software normally detects it as EICAR-Test-File.
Please let us know how we can make this website more comfortable for you
Thank you for submitting your feedback. We will review your feedback shortly.
Your feedback will be used for content improvement purposes only. If you need assistance, please contact technical support.
Your suggestions will help improve this article.