home |  contact

Anti-virus Management

Newspaper headlines publish the latest information about viruses corrupting and damaging systems for businesses quite frequently in spite of the high technology era we live in today. The more widely used operating systems and applications are prime targets for viruses because of the availability and ease of use of the code. So how do we prevent the spread of viruses throughout an organization? Should we stop using popular operating systems and applications, such as Microsoft products? Of course not! We can't sacrifice our means of communication with our business partners and clients to remedy the virus problem, so what do we do? The answer is to build an anti-virus management infrastructure.

Viruses affect systems through the use of various types of files. Users share and exchange files via several mediums, such as email, diskettes, and public shares on servers. Email servers, file and print servers, desktops, and laptops are normally located in a decentralized client-server model defined as a distributed architecture. Files and applications are distributed or divided in portions within a network, which is determined by location and access needs. An anti-virus infrastructure should be developed in such a way that it has the ability to scan files at key entry and exit points within the distributed architecture. The following are key devices to make sure anti-virus software resides in your organization.

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

The DMZ sits between your internal network and the Internet. A firewall is normally placed in a DMZ to control access to and from your internal network. An anti-virus server should be configured to accept copies of files sent from the firewall to scan for viruses. After the anti-virus server scans the file, it should send a message to the firewall to allow or disallow the file to pass through to the internal network based on the results of the scan.

Email Server

The email server sends messages internally and externally to an organization. Anti-virus software should reside on the email server and configured to scan file attachments upon receipt and before forwarding the email to the recipient.

File and Print Servers

The purpose of these servers is to provide a home for most files and allow them to be printed upon request. The files can be stored in individual, private folders or shared, public folders. Anti-virus software must be installed on the server and configured to scan files as they are moved and copied to the server.

Desktops and Laptops

Most end users on a network use a stationary desktop or a mobile laptop that connects to a network to share files with other users via email or public areas on a server. End users also have the option to bring files into a network by copying files from a diskette via a floppy disk. Anti-virus software should be installed on the hard drive of each desktop and laptop and configured to scan files retrieved from email, file and print servers, and floppy disks.

Each of the components mentioned must have updated virus definition files installed in order to detect and clean viruses as they enter a system. The systems can also be configured to send an alert and quarantine a file with a virus upon detection. The exact configuration for each anti-virus element should be based upon the expected and necessary performance for your organization. The intent of building an anti-virus infrastructure is to prevent or minimize the infiltration of viruses throughout an organization's electronic systems.

Anti-virus awareness should compliment an anti-virus management infrastructure by educating users of the distributed systems. Managing the spread of viruses is a continuous process because new viruses are created almost daily. Creating policies, standards, guidelines, and procedures on how to handle viruses and communicating this information to the end user community coupled with designating the responsibility of updating virus definition files on all of the servers mentioned above will institute good anti-virus management.

Home

Services

Partners

About Us

Contact Us