In this new English episode of My Precious Data, cybersecurity expert Eddy Willems sits down with longtime colleague and friend Andreas Clementi, founder of AV-Comparatives, the independent organisation behind some of the most respected security product tests worldwide.

For decades, AV-Comparatives has been the silent benchmark behind the cybersecurity industry. Vendors build products. Marketing teams make claims. But independent testing determines what truly works.

Eddy and Andreas go back many years, to a time when antivirus testing was less structured and transparency in performance evaluation was still evolving. Together, they reflect on how independent testing became a cornerstone of trust in the security ecosystem.

“Independent testing is not about attacking vendors, it’s about improving protection for users,” says Andreas Clementi.

“Without transparency and objective testing, trust in cybersecurity would simply collapse,” adds Eddy Willems.

The conversation dives into:

• The origins of AV-Comparatives
• The evolution of malware testing methodologies
• False positives, performance testing and real-world scenarios
• The pressure and responsibility of independent testing
• The future of security validation in an AI-driven world

“Testing must evolve as threats evolve. Otherwise we measure yesterday’s problems, not tomorrow’s risks.” – Andreas Clementi

An insightful and candid discussion about trust, integrity and the often unseen backbone of the cybersecurity industry.