Free Antivirus for Windows Server

Aubs

Hi all,

I have managed to get a licence for Windows Server which is great, as I would like to host my own server at home (act as a small web/file/proxy server).

Problem I'm now faced with is trying to get an antivirus suitable for servers, but to use at home - I.e. I'm not a small business or commercial user so don't think it warrants spending a lot of money on something I will rarely use anyway (Only have it running when I need it to be so not all the time!).

Thanks for reading and any advice is welcome :-)

Aubs

unrich

NOD32 ??

Operating System

• Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, 2000 and 2003 Server
• Microsoft Windows XP Home and Professional, including Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
• Windows Vista 32-bit and 64-bit

You can download a trial for 30days.

Aubs

Hi Unrich,

Thanks for your post.

OS is Windows Server 2003.

I have had a trial of NOD32, but as you say, it was for 30days (from the date of install) and in that period, the server was running for no more than 5 days! lol

Thanks again!

Aubs

colin2002

McAfee VirusScan® Enterprise 8.5 works well on Win 2003 server

Aubs

Hi Colin,

colin2002 wrote: »

McAfee VirusScan® Enterprise 8.5 works well on Win 2003 server

I would assume there is a cost implication with that though, and that's the problem!

Thanks,

Aubs

Red_Rose_Exile

ClamWin is the only free AV for 2003 server. However, it has no real time protection which, for all intent and purpose, makes it worthless.

toasterman

I find some server-based antivirus has realtime-protection disabled. Certainly does with Sophos. There is an option to leave it running, but Sophos themselves advise you to disable it. Same with Kaspersky if I recall, from when I worked for a different company that sold that.

It kinda makes sense really. You don't want to scan everything on the server, and also on the client machines. Given that each client machine (usually) has net access, and nobody sits and surfs at the server (or they shouldn't anyway), viruses are more than likely to come from clients anyway.

Aubs

Hello, RRE, Thanks for that. You are right, if it's not real time, it's not worth having, really! but thank you for your input

Aubs

Red_Rose_Exile

I see where you're coming from, toasterman, but by rights I would want my server to filter packets before it gets to my client stations. In an ideal business environment, you want to protect the numpties, (the oh I'll click on anything that I'm sent me type!)

If I have offended someone, I don't apologise, I have spent too much of my life cleaning up after people who haven't listened to all the advice given them!

toasterman

But where is the viruses on your server coming from? Surely downloaded by users on the client machines?
Client machines (in the environments I work in) normally only use the server for DNS lookups. They access the internet directly through the router - some of which have the option to restrict content.

Sophos (I mentioned it because the company I work for is a reseller) does scan incoming emails if you're using Puremessage (another Sophos product) and an Exchange server, so the viruses never get as far as the end users.. if thats what you mean?

There are also email scanners available for other Windows mail server software like MDaemon, and Paul Smith's vpop3, that scans it before it gets to the end user.

Other than email - theres not really any circumstances where viruses would get to the clients via the server..hence realtime scanning on the clients would be much more useful.

Aubs

Toasterman, Yes, thanks for that, quite a valid point, but then you would still want a server to be immune (to an extent) to vulnerabilities, which I assume a real-time scanner would provide... But then again, providing it's properly configured, and using the most recent stable releases of all software, then shouldn't be a huge problem... Hmmm... Will have to look into it a bit more. - In that sense though, is it worth having an AV scanner on a server at all?

No offence taken from me, RRE, completely agree!! lol