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Antivirus Software: Questions/Suggestions/Comments for Enterprise

S

StarsFan4Life

Golden Member
We are at a crossroads with our company. We have been utilizing Symantec for years now, and currently use Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0.5002.333. We are finding more and more everyday that Symantec either is late in picking up viruses/malware/spyware or just not picking it up all together.

We are completely up-to-date with definitions and always run the latest version of the software (enterprise environment) with around 600 clients within our company. Almost daily, we receive calls of "slow machines" and such, but when we run a scan using Symantec, most come back clean, according the the Endpoint Protection software. Of course, the machines still run slow and we have been utilizing other applications such as MalwareBytes, Stinger and CleanUp 4.5.2 (which are all FREE utilities).

Using the MalwareBytes, Stinger and CleanUp, we completely clean the machines and find (up to) HUNDREDS of instances of viruses, spyware and malware. Some are very new, some are YEARS old. Yet, we currently pay for the Symantec software that apparently does not work all that well.

After opening tickets with them, support calls and even conference calls with sales/tech reps, we are being asked to do what the Symantec software should do on it's own. They ask us to run a utility called " Load Point Diagnostic Utility" to identify suspected threats. The problem with this is, we run this, upload the results to Symantec and it could be hours and even days before we get a response. That leaves us with a production machine that is STILL infected, thus the reason why we are forced to use the other FREE utilities that actually clean the junk off.

My question is, what does Symantec actually define a virus as? To me, a virus, spyware/malware infection, worm, trojan, vundo, etc are all one in the same and should be proactively avoided by Symantec, proactively meaning finding and eliminating BEFORE it infects, not after the fact. Microsoft Essentials (Microsoft's free AV software) seems to be very proactive).

My questions to all of you are:

1. Do you currently use Symantec AV software in your enterprise environment?

2. If so, do you like it, find it effective, never have a problem?

3. If you do not like it, what do you not like about it?

4. What problems do you have with Symantec software?

5. If you do NOT use Symantec, what AV software do you use/recommend for an enterprise environment?

6. What is the size of your company (clients installed with AV protection)?


We are just sorting through options here, deciding our next steps and it would be nice to get some information/suggestions/other comments on this as well. Thanks to all in advance!
 
Last edited:
StarsFan4Life said:
My question is, what does Symantec actually define a virus as? To me, a virus, spyware/malware infection, worm, trojan, vundo, etc are all one in the same and should be proactively avoided by Symantec, proactively meaning finding and eliminating BEFORE it infects, not after the fact.
Click to expand...

It's been about a year since I last used Symantec Endpoint Protection, so my knowledge might be a little dated. With that said, SEP puts viruses, spyware, hack tools, etc., into separate categories, and the default settings only block viruses by default. Although I have numerous complaints about Symantec Antivirus (and Symantec in general), I've never had a problem with its ability to catch malware, so you may want to examine the settings and make sure that Symantec Endpoint Protection is actually configured to block the software that is gumming up the machines.

Also, antimalware protection alone isn't going to keep your network secure. Viruses and trojans don't (for the most part) execute themselves, so part of your security quagmire falls on the shoulders of you and your users. What are users doing that is causing machines to become infected? Why are users even able to install malware at all?

Based on what you've described, it sounds like your entire security system needs an overhaul, not just your virus scanner.

That being said, here's my answers to your questions.

1. I worked with an IT outsourcing company, and Symantec Endpoint Protection was what we primarily used, and what we were recommending.

2,3. The management console was flaky and was sluggish over a remote desktop connection. Also, the firewall component didn't work properly on unmanaged clients. Otherwise, I didn't have any major issues with it.

4. My main issue with Symantec Endpoint Protection (and Symantec software in general) is the incredibly confusing licensing.

5. I don't have any firsthand experience with it, but one of my colleagues uses Microsoft Forefront and hasn't had any complaints about it.

6. Most of the clients I serviced were between 10-120 employees
 
1. Do you currently use Symantec AV software in your enterprise environment?
Yes, endpoint, the version before the very latest version.

2. If so, do you like it, find it effective, never have a problem?
It is pretty effective for us, no major issues but then again most user accounts are limited access - very few people even have admin rights.

3. If you do not like it, what do you not like about it?
It would be nice if the console upgrade was a bit easier. Also, the software runs kind of slowly, the console that is. I wish the scanning would be faster too, some other programs speed up the full scan considerably after you've done the first complete scan.

4. What problems do you have with Symantec software?
no major issues right now, it works pretty well.

6. What is the size of your company (clients installed with AV protection)?
about 90-100 machines.
 
FYI - i just upgraded to the latest version of SEP and so far so good, it was pretty smooth.
One thing i really like about this is that it automatically updates all clients on all the workstations and servers when you assign the new version to the group!
 
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