In its seventh year, AV-Comparatives' EPR Test measures resilience against AI-built attack tooling
INNSBRUCK, Austria, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In September 2025, Anthropic disrupted a state-linked group that had used its own Claude Code AI model to automate up to 90 percent of a multi-stage espionage campaign against roughly 30 organisations, including several government agencies. Independent breach research puts the average enterprise breach lifecycle, from intrusion to containment, at around 241 days. Reports like these keep multiplying. AV-Comparatives' Endpoint Prevention and Response (EPR) Test, now in its seventh year, is an established enterprise reference that evolves with attackers and defenders. This year's testing began in May 2026, evaluating 14 leading enterprise security products against 50 multi-stage attack scenarios, several built using AI-assisted development techniques.
In brief:
- 11 of 14 tested products earned Certified Leader status, AV-Comparatives' highest distinction.
- Since AV-Comparatives introduced the EPR Test, the certification bar has risen from 90 percent to 92 percent.
- All 11 Certified Leaders delivered strong, reliable protection, clearing AV-Comparatives' toughest EPR bar yet.
What did the test actually simulate?
Each scenario ran a full attack chain the way a real intruder would operate: phishing entry, privilege escalation, lateral movement and data theft. AV-Comparatives built the underlying attack tooling using AI-assisted development techniques, modelled on the MITRE ATT&CK Matrix for Enterprise, an independent industry reference for real attacker behaviour.
Which vendors achieved Certified Leader status?
Bitdefender, Broadcom, Check Point, Elastic, ESET, Fortinet, G Data, Palo Alto Networks, TrendAI, VIPRE and WithSecure all met the 92 percent combined threshold. The three that fell short are not named individually, according to AV-Comparatives' methodology.
"Attackers are now catching up on something defenders have used for far longer," said Andreas Clementi, CEO of AV-Comparatives. "Machine learning has shaped endpoint protection for two decades, long before today's AI wave. Our EPR Test reflects that: we used AI-assisted techniques to build this year's attack tooling and drew on current threat intelligence. All 11 Certified Leaders show that strong protection against attacks utilizing AI-born tooling already exists."
Is this based on an established framework? Yes. The pass/fail mechanics are AV-Comparatives' own methodology, but the underlying attack scenarios follow the MITRE ATT&CK Matrix for Enterprise.
The full report, including the CyberRisk Quadrant and per-product breakdowns, are available at
https://av-comparatives.org/endpoint-prevention-response-epr-test-2026/
About AV-Comparatives
AV-Comparatives is the leading independent cybersecurity testing organization, evaluating security solutions that have evolved far beyond traditional antivirus software. Our systematic testing assesses modern endpoint protection, threat detection, and mobile security across PC, Mac, Android, and IoT devices. Using one of the world's most relevant and sophisticated threat collections, we create real-world testing environments for comprehensive evaluation. Test results are freely accessible worldwide, and AV-Comparatives certification provides a globally recognized seal of approval for proven cybersecurity performance.
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Toughest Test Yet: 11 of 14 Pass AV-Comparatives EPR Test 2026
More than 20 KAPSARC leaders, researchers, and experts to contribute across the Congress's Executive, Technical, Synergy, and Special Programmes
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- KAPSARC participates as a National Partner in the 25th WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, bringing its leaders and experts into discussions addressing some of the most important issues shaping the future of energy.
Taking place from 11 to 15 October 2026 under the theme "Pathways to an Energy Future for All," the Congress will be hosted in Saudi Arabia for the first time in its history. First held in London in 1933, the Congress will bring together government leaders, industry executives, policymakers, researchers, and innovators in Riyadh to examine the forces reshaping global energy systems, from security and investment to technology and sustainability.
KAPSARC's participation extends across the Congress's Executive, Technical, Synergy, and Special Programmes, alongside additional sessions and activities, reflecting the breadth of the Center's research and policy expertise. KAPSARC President Fahad Alajlan and Dr. Ghadah Alarifi, Dean of the KAPSARC School of Public Policy, are among KAPSARC's speakers in the Executive Programme.
Across the Congress, KAPSARC experts contribute research and policy perspectives on energy supply and demand, energy access, natural gas, ESG and governance, the Circular Carbon Economy, artificial intelligence, mobility, and lower-emission pathways for refining and petrochemicals.
Within the Special Programme, KAPSARC leads a Knowledge Sprint session titled "Generative AI for Evidence-Based Oil Markets," examining how generative AI can support oil-market analysis and policy research. The session explores AI-assisted data workflows, econometric and scenario analysis, responsible AI practices, and the translation of technical findings into decision-ready insights.
KAPSARC also participates in the World Café through a session on "Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies," bringing together experts, policymakers, and practitioners to examine the prospects for scaling engineered carbon-removal solutions. The discussion covers direct air capture, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, and biochar, alongside the economic, infrastructure, regulatory, carbon-market, and regional considerations influencing their deployment.
In the Synergy Programme, KAPSARC experts contribute to discussions on "Accelerating the Circular Carbon Economy Through Joint Action" and "AI Partnerships for Energy Innovation," bringing research-based perspectives to the intersection of energy, technology, and sustainability.
KAPSARC's dedicated pavilion provides another platform for knowledge exchange and engagement throughout the Congress. Structured around five thematic hubs, the pavilion brings together KAPSARC research, analytical tools, and expertise across the Oil Hub, Transportation Hub, Clean Energy Hub, AI Hub, and Collaboration Hub. Together, the hubs provide visitors with an integrated view of selected research areas and emerging issues shaping energy systems, while creating opportunities for engagement with policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and other Congress participants.
The pavilion also features the KAPSARC School of Public Policy (KSPP) and the Saudi Energy Leaders Assembly (SELA), providing additional platforms for policy education, leadership development, and knowledge exchange.
Through its participation across the Congress's programmes and sessions, alongside its dedicated thematic pavilion, KAPSARC connects Saudi-based research and policy expertise with international discussions on energy security, investment, technology, and sustainability.
About KAPSARC
KAPSARC is an advisory think tank dedicated to advancing knowledge on energy, environmental and regional economic issues. As an accredited observer to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), KAPSARC actively contributes to global climate action. KAPSARC's mission is to advance Saudi Arabia's energy sector and inform global policies through evidence-based advice and applied research.
For more information about KAPSARC:
https://www.kapsarc.org/
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/kapsarc
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KAPSARC TO JOIN 25TH WPC ENERGY CONGRESS IN RIYADH AS NATIONAL PARTNER
