About forty antivirus vendors and product review companies got together and created AMSTO (Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization), in an effort to define standard testing procedures for anti-malware products.

AMTSO stems from the vendor's dissatisfaction with current product reviews. They believe reviews are carried out following outdated practices and inadequate test patterns when faced with today's complex anti-malware solutions.

This initiative being driven by major players in that field, we find it a bit odd having vendors telling reviewers exactly what to look for in their products. And does that mean to be considered a competent reviewer, one will have to get AMTSO's seal of approval ? 

This could be quite amusing if the initiative was not pushed by names like Symantec, Trend Micro, McAfee, Sophos, Kaspersky Labs or Panda, and thus likely to get some traction.

Of course, this does not insure reviewers will buy into the initiative. Or even that a fair, accurate and balanced test protocol will not come out AMTSO.