ESET NOD32 Antivirus was reported as one of four products to earn an Advanced+ rating among 15 antivirus solutions in a comparative test. But the historical article does not identify the test year or the specific AV-Comparatives report, so the rating should be read as a result from an unspecified past test—not as a verdict on current ESET software.
What does ESET’s Advanced+ rating mean?
Dark Reading reported that ESET NOD32 Antivirus was one of four antivirus solutions rated Advanced+ out of 15 products. The article described testing that included proactive and on-demand detection of viruses and malware, false positives, and scanning speed. Its retrieved passage does not name the test year or link to the underlying report, so the precise test period and the scope of that particular rating cannot be confirmed from the article.
That distinction matters: an Advanced+ result belongs to the product, test, and period specified by the testing organization. It is not automatically a rating for every ESET product, platform, or later software version. The historical claim also should not be confused with a result from a different year or a different test category.
How AV-Comparatives tests antivirus products
AV-Comparatives reports separate results for different dimensions, including real-world protection, malware protection, system performance, targeted advanced threats, and false alarms. Its 2025 consumer annual report describes testing of real-world internet threats, malicious programs, targeted attacks, and system impact. These tests answer different questions, so a rating is most useful when readers know which test produced it.
#1 Best Overall
![ESET Home Security Essential | Antivirus | 2025 Edition | 3 Devices | 1 Year | Safe Banking | Privacy Protection | IOT Protection | Ransomware | Digital Download [PC/Mac/Android]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41U+x9+6JKL._SL160_.jpg)
- WORRY-FREE BANKING AND BROWSING: Safely bank, shop, and surf with our secured browser mode. The extra Browser Privacy & Security extension for Windows helps you search safely, clean your browser, and block phishing sites.
- FAST, SEAMLESS SECURITY: Stay safe from online and offline threats. With protection to prevent, detect, and resolve issues, you get advanced defense against theft, spam, ransomware, and more—all without slowdown.
- WEBCAM AND MIC CONTROLS: Get notified whenever there’s an attempt to access your webcam or microphone. Instantly allow or block it to prevent unwanted recording or surveillance.
- EASY MANAGEMENT: Manage your subscription with ESET HOME, the complete security management platform. Add new devices, activate powerful features, and see exactly who and what is protected—all from one space.
- FLEXIBLE PROTECTION: Secure up to # devices under one subscription, and easily purchase additional subscriptions. These must be managed via your ESET HOME account to avoid overwriting existing ones.
- Protection tests examine how products handle threats, with real-world protection and malware protection reported as distinct test areas.
- Advanced-threat testing focuses on targeted attacks rather than serving as a general substitute for other protection results.
- False-alarm testing evaluates incorrect detections, which can affect how disruptive security software is to normal use.
- Performance testing compares system impact; it does not establish how effectively a product protects against malware.
AV-Comparatives makes that last boundary explicit in its October 2022 high-end performance report: the test measures a security product’s impact on a system relative to other consumer products and “does not say anything about the effectiveness of the protection a product provides.” Its April 2023 low-end performance report likewise says performance results do not establish protection effectiveness. A scanning-speed or low-impact result should therefore not be presented as proof of stronger malware blocking.
What later ESET results show
Later annual results provide current context, but they do not identify the report behind the older Dark Reading claim. AV-Comparatives’ annual results for 2024 and 2025 are separate test cycles, with named products and periods.
Rank #2
![ESET NOD32 Antivirus | 2025 Edition | 1 Device | 1 Year | Antivirus Software | Gamer Mode | Small System Footprint | Digital Download [PC/Mac]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41+egi-twuL._SL160_.jpg)
- Antivirus and Antispyware functionality provides protection from online and offline threats and blocks the spread of malware to other users.
- Ransomware Shield keeps data private and secure by blocking attempts to lock you out of your personal data in exchange for a ransom payment.
- Anti-phishing protects you from frauds and fake websites attempting to access sensitive information or feed you fake news.
- Exploit blocker prevents attacks designed to bypass antivirus detection and fortifies commonly exploited application types such as web browsers, PDF readers and other applications.
- Gamer Mode runs media quickly and smoothly. It postpones alerts and notifications to save resources, disables pop-up windows and halts the activity of the scheduler. ESET protection still runs in the background on Gamer Mode but does not demand any interaction.
| Test cycle | ESET result | Scope and date |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 consumer series | Advanced+ in all seven tests; Product of the Year. The report also lists Gold for Advanced Threat Protection, Silver for Low False Positives, and Bronze awards for Real-World Protection and Performance. | AV-Comparatives’ 2024 series covered 16 Windows consumer products; its annual report was dated 2025-01-15. 2024 summary report |
| 2025 consumer series | Top-Rated and Advanced+ in all seven tests; Gold for Advanced Threat Protection. The tested product list names ESET HOME Security Essential. | Tests ran January–December 2025; the annual report was released 2026-01-14. 2025 summary report |
These later outcomes show that ESET performed strongly in those particular AV-Comparatives consumer series. They should not be backdated to the historical article, whose test year remains unidentified, or treated as a guarantee of future results.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to use an antivirus rating when choosing software
Use an award as one input rather than a universal ranking. Start with protection results for the period and product you are considering, then weigh system impact, ease of use, price, language availability, and support. AV-Comparatives notes that its awards are based on test results and do not account for all these choice factors; its 2025 report recommends evaluating protection, performance, and ease of use, and trying a vendor’s trial software before choosing.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rank #3
![ESET Home Security Essential | Antivirus | 2025 Edition | 1 Device | 1 Year | Safe Banking | Privacy Protection | IOT Protection | Ransomware | Digital Download [PC/Mac/Android]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41dk5LnrvhL._SL160_.jpg)
- WORRY-FREE BANKING AND BROWSING: Safely bank, shop, and surf with our secured browser mode. The extra Browser Privacy & Security extension for Windows helps you search safely, clean your browser, and block phishing sites.
- FAST, SEAMLESS SECURITY: Stay safe from online and offline threats. With protection to prevent, detect, and resolve issues, you get advanced defense against theft, spam, ransomware, and more—all without slowdown.
- WEBCAM AND MIC CONTROLS: Get notified whenever there’s an attempt to access your webcam or microphone. Instantly allow or block it to prevent unwanted recording or surveillance.
- EASY MANAGEMENT: Manage your subscription with ESET HOME, the complete security management platform. Add new devices, activate powerful features, and see exactly who and what is protected—all from one space.
- FLEXIBLE PROTECTION: Secure up to # devices under one subscription, and easily purchase additional subscriptions. These must be managed via your ESET HOME account to avoid overwriting existing ones.
For a practical comparison, verify the exact product name and operating-system coverage in the report, check the relevant protection and false-alarm results rather than relying on a performance score, and compare the subscription and support terms that apply to you. An award is meaningful evidence about a defined test—not a substitute for matching the product to your needs.
Quick Recap
Best Value
![ESET Home Security Premium | Antivirus | 2025 Edition | 1 Device | 1 Year| Unlimited VPN | Privacy Protection | Ransomware | Anti-Theft | Digital Download [PC/Mac/Android]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51wb8soobpL._SL160_.jpg)
- Unlimited VPN Rely on secure network connections at home or on the go—access secure servers across 40 countries on up to 3 devices. Protect your data from theft and tracking, and stay safe with an anonymous IP. Includes unlimited bandwidth!
- ESET Folder Guard Secure valuable data! Ensure only trusted apps can modify files in protected folders, providing an extra layer of defense against ransomware and other threats.
- KEEP YOUR DATA PRIVATE AND SECURE. This feature blocks attempts to lock your files in exchange for payment, shielding you from threats and device damage. SECURE DATA Protect sensitive data with military-grade encryption. Safeguard files and USBs from unauthorized access and safely share your data with others.
- WORRY-FREE BANKING AND BROWSING: Safely bank, shop, and surf with our secured browser mode. The extra Browser Privacy & Security extension for Windows helps you search safely, clean your browser, and block phishing sites.
- SAFE NETWORKS: Check your home router for risks like weak passwords or outdated firmware. See all connected devices, scan them for vulnerabilities, and get suggestions on how to resolve security issues.
Rank #4
![ESET Home Security Premium | Antivirus | 2025 Edition | 3 Devices | 1 Year| Unlimited VPN | Privacy Protection | Ransomware | Anti-Theft | Digital Download [PC/Mac/Android]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rUg2B8o2L._SL160_.jpg)
- Unlimited VPN Rely on secure network connections at home or on the go—access secure servers across 40 countries on up to 3 devices. Protect your data from theft and tracking, and stay safe with an anonymous IP. Includes unlimited bandwidth!
- ESET Folder Guard Secure valuable data! Ensure only trusted apps can modify files in protected folders, providing an extra layer of defense against ransomware and other threats.
- KEEP YOUR DATA PRIVATE AND SECURE. This feature blocks attempts to lock your files in exchange for payment, shielding you from threats and device damage. SECURE DATA Protect sensitive data with military-grade encryption. Safeguard files and USBs from unauthorized access and safely share your data with others.
- WORRY-FREE BANKING AND BROWSING: Safely bank, shop, and surf with our secured browser mode. The extra Browser Privacy & Security extension for Windows helps you search safely, clean your browser, and block phishing sites.
- SAFE NETWORKS: Check your home router for risks like weak passwords or outdated firmware. See all connected devices, scan them for vulnerabilities, and get suggestions on how to resolve security issues.
Sources
- Dark Reading: “ESET Touts Advanced+ Rating”
- AV-Comparatives consumer test methods and reports
- AV-Comparatives 2024 summary report
- AV-Comparatives 2025 summary report
- AV-Comparatives October 2022 high-end performance test
- AV-Comparatives April 2023 low-end performance test
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