RE: Why NOT to disable Real Time Antivirus on Servers

["Steven Jones" <Steven.Jones () vuw ac nz>]

We don't run an anti-virus scanner on the exchange server and it has not
been infected in 3 years. 

There is a difference between passing a virus infected email through an
exchange server and actually opening it on the server using outlook or
something.

So faulty deduction IMHO.

The problem with running one on the server is the huge CPU and disk i/o
impact....

The best way is to have an intermediate server that does the anti-virus
scanning as mail passes into or out of the exchange server.

Security professionals often end up only thinking in terms of security
and not business needs and the inherent risks and costs....

Somewhere some how you need to balance.

Regards

thing

-----Original Message-----
From: Herbold, John W. [mailto:JWHERBOLD () arkbluecross com] 
Sent: Friday, 4 November 2005 2:53 a.m.
To: 'security-basics () securityfocus com'
Subject: RE: Why NOT to disable Real Time Antivirus on Servers

If your server is not protected, then over time one can deduce that your
server will get infected at some point with multiple virus and worms.
What
kind of performance hit will it be for that server to sit there and spew
out
worms spam ect to all of your workstations, only to have each one of
them
kill the same piece of code?  Not even to mention the downtime in
cleaning
and the possible rebuilding of the server.

Thanks,

John 



-----Original Message-----
From: george.peek () gmx net [mailto:george.peek () gmx net]
Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2005 11:34 AM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Why NOT to disable Real Time Antivirus on Servers


Greetings,

An Engineer and I are having an argument about keeping Real Time
Antivirus
disabled on servers.

His point is keeping Real Time Antivirus Enabled on servers such as the
Exchange Server takes a huge performance hit on the server.

My argument is that keeping real time antivirus software disabled
defeats
the purpose of PREVENTING a server from being infected in the first
place.
Once it is infected, it is all too late already. The antivirus software
is
enabled on the workstations.

He argues that since all of the workstations have the antivirus enabled,
then there is no way for the virus to get in.

Mine argument that a virus can still get in through other means. I need
examples and case studies to refer to.

I would like to find different case studies or scenarios where the real
time
antivirus was disabled on the servers, enabled on the PCs, and the
company
still got infected. Also, would like to find solutions to enabling real
time
scan and stream lining it so it does not affect the Exchange Server as
bad.

Would someone point me in the right direction or post potential case
studies.

Please post or email me.

George.peek () gmx net

Thank You

NOTICE:  This e-mail and any files transmitted with it may contain
confidential or privileged information that is intended only 
for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed.
This information should be treated with the appropriate 
level of security to preclude the disclosure of sensitive or privileged
information.  If you are not the intended recipient, you 
are hereby advised that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or the
taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this
information is prohibited.  If you have received this e-mail in error,
please notify the sender, delete this e-mail from your 
machine's memory, and destroy the hardcopy information.  Thank you.