Why not test it?
1. Make a new notepad file.
2. Copy this string of text and paste it into your notepad file.
3. At ''File'' choose ''Save as'' and save the notepad as ''eicar.com'' (Without the '' of course).Quote:
X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*
4. As soon as you saved it to any location your anti-virus should respond, and tell you the file is infected and flag it with ''Virus identified EICAR_test''.
If your anti-virus doesn't respond then update it, or get another one.
It should pick it up as a virus 99% of the times, and no it does not do any harm to your PC, even if you open it.
*Saw this somewhere else and thought it was a pretty good way to see if your anti-virus is doing what it is supposed to do.
(For the more worried people that think this will harm your PC or w/e, http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm).
