Standardised Antivirus

We recently took over management of a client environment with 5 Servers and 115 workstations spread over multiple locations. In the initial audit of their environment we identified a range of antivirus products in use. Different versions, different editions from different vendors and in some cases subscription status had expired and the software was no longer receiving virus definition updates.

This can be a common situation in small business where workstations have been added to the company network over time and the IT infrastructure has not been properly cared for.

It is critical that anti-virus software is current and correctly receiving updates from the vendor. While old definitions still provide some measure of protection, it is the most recent malware that poses the greatest threat of infection. It only takes one malicious application to slip past the company defences to open the way for more and cause damage. In an environment where all the anti-virus is different with different subscription periods, ensuring that updates are happening correctly can be a logistical nightmare.

One of the first things we will do when taking over a new environment is to standardise the antivirus and centrally manage it. This ensures that the company is properly licensed and malware definitions are up-to-date, and that all workstations are covered. Our monitoring software alerts us of any issues that arise and our helpdesk staff can address them remotely as required.