Comments on: Does WHS need AV? Here’s a Good YES Reason

By: FLDataTeK

FLDataTeK — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:02:33 +0000

It only takes once for you to get a "network aware" virus that will attempt to spread to every machine on your network for you to figure out the value of having AV on every PC you own including your server.

Just think if you get a virus on your server and you lose 2 or 3 TB of information… It sucks… I have had it happen to me not by a virus but by hardware failure.. I lost so much stuff..

Protection comes in layers.. not a 1 stop fix all..

First layer of protection …. Firewall/Router…. So people can not connect directly to your PC from the internet.

Layer 2….. Firewall on the PC … Protects you from other PC's on your network should one get a virus on it.

Layer 3…. Antivirus… To protect you from other PC's on your network , and from websites and other files that you download or bring into your network….

See a pattern forming here? Its not really a question of IF its a question of WHITCH one should I have. There are to many free AV software out there to not have one loaded on your machines.

OK RANT OVER… Just my .02

By: Luc Ippersiel

Luc Ippersiel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:04:16 +0000

Yes. The Comodo AntiVirus product installs and scans the server natively.

By: Jim_Clark

Jim_Clark — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:09:04 +0000

hmm, interesting. I will have to get some feedback from MS about whether they would consider this a "safe" thing to do.

By: Curtis Earl

Curtis Earl — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:04:03 +0000

MSE will work on WHS, just not as an installed program. MSE will scan mapped drives. Just make it a scheduled job.

Run AV on all your equipment and scan your fileserver nightly.

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:32:11 +0000

Sorry for the late post, but I thought I'd add my two cents, as well. I currently have a trial version of Avast! on my MSS. It works just fine and no matter how secure I tend to be, my daughter and wife are security car-wrecks, and having A/V on the MSS is just an added level of secrity, especially since it's a Windows kernel.

Avast also has a home secutiry package which include a license for your WHS machine and 10 Windows clints PCs for about $75 a year. Considering the damage I have seen viruses cause at work, $75 is a pittance for the keeping my irreplaceable files more secure, and more safe.

By: scoob101

scoob101 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:12:54 +0000

Totally agree. Whilst of course its a *very* sensible precaution to have AV capability on your WHS, Jim hasnt chosen a particularly good example as a justification for it.

Metadata and Jpegs are not going to compromise an up to date WHS installation.

By: scoob101

scoob101 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:02:00 +0000

For regular users, of course you are right. But for those (like zdv) who actually understand what risk based assesment actually is let them make their own informed judgement.

By: PaulJG

PaulJG — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:05:19 +0000

Thanks for the useful info. As for Microsoft Security Essentials, I like it; sort of reminds me of a stripped-down MS OneCare, which I used. I do wish there was an MSE available for Windows Home Server, although I currently have Avast on mine.

By: Vassilis

Vassilis — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:35:11 +0000

come one don't be naive…whilst this is probably a false alert, just check the virus details of your alert…this is an exploit that was first patched on 2004 updates !!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:18:12 +0000

I think it is a no-brainer… EVERY computer should have AV on it. These days you can get viruses on machines even if they are standalone. Viruses have made it on USB drives strait from the manufacture so as far as i am concerned there are no "trusted" sources.

By: Brian Binnerup

Brian Binnerup — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:20:35 +0000

There is no doubt that it is a good idea to have AV on your WHS.

That the AV's hit false positives such as this is not the reason for it though – but there are many other reasons.

If you are downloading things from torrent networks on you really can't live without one.

By: urmaster

urmaster — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:23:31 +0000

The nail on the head. With TeraBytes of data and at least some MB worth of sensitive information why would you not put an AV on your server?

@Bodog WGS I tend to think the other way around since installing uTorrent. Now my server has become the main scanner for the other computers, vetting files before I let them on to other PCs.