People who search for antivirus statistics usually are not just looking for scary numbers. They are trying to answer a practical question: is antivirus software still useful in 2026? The latest public data from AV-TEST, Microsoft, and Verizon points to an answer that is neither “it solves everything” nor “it is obsolete.” The scale of modern threats, the way attacks start, and the chains that follow still give endpoint protection and malware detection a real job.［1］［2］［3］

The question worth updating is not a simple “install it or skip it.” It is where antivirus belongs in your broader security stack.

Use the online security guide as the baseline: it connects this risk to account, device, browser, and network hardening.

Key Takeaways

AV-TEST still records more than 450,000 new malware and PUA samples every day. The volume has not simply disappeared.［1］

Microsoft said in its 2025 report that it blocks 4.5 million new malware files per day on average.［2］

In Microsoft’s 2025 incident response data, 28% of known initial access came from phishing or social engineering, 18% from unpatched web assets, and 12% from exposed remote services.［2］

Verizon’s 2025 DBIR found ransomware in 44% of global data breaches, up 37% year over year.［3］

Endpoint protection still matters, but it covers one layer. It does not fix patching, passwords, permissions, or backups for you.

Which 8 antivirus statistics should you look at first?

1. AV-TEST: more than 450,000 new malware and PUA samples every day

AV-TEST’s current statistics page says it registers more than 450,000 new malicious programs and potentially unwanted applications every day.［1］ Not every sample is equally dangerous, but that number makes it hard to argue that malware volume is no longer worth worrying about.

2. Microsoft: 4.5 million new malware files blocked per day

Microsoft’s 2025 Digital Defense Report gives an even more concrete number: an average of 4.5 million new malware files blocked every day.［2］ Endpoint detection is still dealing with high-throughput reality, not occasional one-off threats.

3. Microsoft: 100 trillion security signals per day

The same report says Microsoft processes 100 trillion security signals every day.［2］ Modern protection is no longer just a local file scan. It combines cloud intelligence, behavior, and large-scale correlation.

4. Microsoft: 28% of known initial access came from phishing or social engineering

This matters. Some people dismiss antivirus because “real threats are all account-based now.” In practice, phishing and social engineering remain common entry points, and endpoint alerts, malicious attachment detection, and download blocking still have value.［2］

5. Microsoft: 18% came from unpatched web assets and 12% from exposed remote services

These numbers are a useful reminder: endpoint protection matters, but patch management and exposure management matter just as much.［2］ If the system or service is left unpatched, antivirus is not a magic shield.

6. Verizon: the 2025 DBIR analyzed more than 22,000 incidents and 12,195 confirmed breaches

That sample size makes the report more than a vendor marketing story. It gives a broad view of real incidents.［3］

7. Verizon: ransomware appeared in 44% of global data breaches

It also increased 37% year over year.［3］ The risk of locked files, disrupted operations, and data theft has not gone away.

8. AV-TEST: by early 2026, Windows malware samples were approaching the billion mark

AV-TEST’s 2025 awards article noted that Windows malware samples grew from 920 million in 2024 to 995 million in 2025, and said the count was likely to pass 1 billion by March 2026.［4］ The point is not fear. It is that the threat surface has not shrunk automatically just because operating systems have improved.

What do these numbers actually mean?

Antivirus is still useful

It is especially useful for:

blocking malicious downloads;
detecting known samples;
flagging suspicious behavior;
identifying ransomware and infostealers early;
giving organizations endpoint visibility.

But it is no longer the only star of the show

A more realistic security stack looks like this:

Layer	What it mainly handles
Antivirus / endpoint protection	Malicious files, suspicious behavior, endpoint alerts
Patch management	Exploit prevention
MFA and account protection	Account takeover
Email and browser protection	Phishing and malicious links
Backups	Recovery after ransomware

If you are still asking whether you need antivirus today, read Do you still need antivirus software? Do not confuse “useful” with “all-powerful”.

Ask “which layer does it protect?” instead of “is it still useful?”

Most users fall into one of two extremes:

thinking antivirus makes them safe from everything;
thinking accounts and cloud apps made antivirus irrelevant.

Reality is usually in the middle.

Antivirus today is more like endpoint insurance than the commander of your whole security program. You still need to update your system, avoid unknown software, stop reusing passwords, and turn on MFA for important accounts.

Summary

Antivirus statistics do not show that antivirus is useless. They show that threat volume remains high.［1］［2］［3］［4］
More than 450,000 new malware and PUA samples per day, 4.5 million new malware files blocked per day, and ransomware in 44% of breaches all point to the continued value of endpoint protection.［1］［2］［3］
Endpoint protection is only one layer. Patching, MFA, backups, and anti-phishing habits are just as important.
The strongest approach is not to idolize antivirus, but to put it back into a layered defense model.

FAQ

Do these antivirus statistics mean everyone must install a third-party product?

No. They show that endpoint protection still matters. They do not prove that every person must use a third-party antivirus product.

Is Windows built-in protection strong enough now?

Recent AV-TEST results show that built-in protection can perform well, but whether it is enough depends on your risk profile.［5］

With so much malware, what should regular users do first?

Update your system, avoid suspicious software, enable MFA for email and core accounts, and then decide whether you need stronger endpoint protection.

If ransomware is rising, can antivirus always stop it?

No. Antivirus can reduce risk, but backups, patching, and permission management are also critical.

What are the most common entry points today?

Microsoft’s public data points to phishing and social engineering, unpatched assets, and exposed remote services as major entry points.［2］

Is one statistic enough?

No. The useful view is to connect threat volume, entry points, and protection layers.

Disclaimer

This article is for general cybersecurity education only. Different measurement methods, sample sets, and reporting scopes can affect how comparable specific statistics are.

This guide comes from AethoVPN; VPN routing does not carry out the checks required for antivirus statistics.

Sources

AV-TEST, Malware Statistics & Trends Report: https://www.av-test.org/en/statistics/malware/
Microsoft, Digital Defense Report 2025: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/dmc/en-us/corporate-responsibility/cybersecurity/microsoft-digital-defense-report-2025/
Verizon, 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report news release: https://www.verizon.com/about/news/2025-data-breach-investigations-report
AV-TEST, Awards 2025 malware statistics note: https://www.av-test.org/en/news/av-test-awards-2025-celebrating-the-very-best-of-it-security-products/
AV-TEST, Test antivirus software for Windows 11 - February 2026: https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/

Sources checked 8 May 2026.

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