Antivirus for IIS6 / Win 2003 Web Server

[muppets]

I am just in the process of getting a dedicated Win 2003 Web Server with IIS6. I am just after some opinions on Antivirus protection.

What package would you recommend for above setup? Can you be specific about the actual product required because I go on to Symantic/McAfee/Trend and there are so many options I just don't know what I need. I will host multiple websites on the above and just want general protection from viruses.

Any opinions much appreciated.

Keir

[DaveAtIFG]

Hey muppets, I'm off topic here, forgive me! And this ain't personal so don't feel chastised or belittled! OK? :)

I recently updated the charter [webmasterworld.com] for this forum to include:

Java topics are welcomed (JavaScript topics belong in the HTML and Browsers forum) and Microsoft specific topics should be posted in the Microsoft Related - .NET and ASP forum.

and I'm taking this opportunity to call people's attention to the change. I'll move your thread over to the M$ forum after it runs it's course.

Back on topic. I can't say enough good things about Norton/Symantec AntiVirus products. Friends using others invariably wind up buying Norton after much aggravation. All of these comments apply to workstation/desktop class machines, not servers, so I cannot suggest a specific package.

[muppets]

OK sure. If you want to keep all Microsoft stuff together in the other forum I suggest changing the forum descriptions a bit as "Website Technology" forum desc. is "From webservers to text editors" and "Microsoft" one is "related to .NET inititive". You could change the Microsft one to something like "...everything related to Microsoft including web servers, ASP, .NET, etc."

I agree Norton is great for desktop protection but Web server software is a different ball game. I'm really confused as to what package I need. Hopefully someone will come up with some good advice.

Cheers

Keir

[txbakers]

Norton works on servers as well. With the corporate edition you could automatically download and install new definitions.

[muppets]

OK, cool. That seems to be the type of thing I'm looking for.

Do you know whether, if someone FTP'd a virus to my server and executed it, would Norton prevent it? Is there anyway of testing it? I hear you can get a harmless, test virus. Know anything about that?

[macrost]

I do know that Norton has an auto protect feature that stops a virus from installing itself if it's in the virus definitions. You could always hit a warez site that has virii for download and send it to your server if you like. Just beware that you have the most up to date definitions and a recovery disk if anything goes bad.

Mac

[DaveAtIFG]

if someone FTP'd a virus to my server and executed it

On Apache you can set permissions to disallow executing code in any directory. Perhaps IIS doesn't offer this level of control but, unless it's essential to permit some FTP'd files to be executed, I think file/directory permissions should be your first line of defense.

[muppets]

Good point Dave. I think I've got executable scripts disabled in IIS anyway but I definitely need to check. I suppose what you're also saying is Anitvirus should be your last line of defence; make sure every other precaution is taken first anyway. Cheers

[muppets]

Hey, just thought. Might be very useful to have a checklist of things to do & settings to change to make IIS as secure as possible on its own.

Does anyone have such a checklist?

[GooRu]

Symantec AntiVirus (Corporate Edition 8.1) is very stable on 2003 with IIS6 (so far). I have it set to scan any file that is created or modified (real time scan) so any incoming bug is immediately squashed as long as the definition files recognize it as malware. With the Parent Server set for hourly updates and the clients set accordingly, only a never before seen virus has any chance of getting through.

[muppets]

spoke to symantec about this product and they said the minimum number of licenses is 10. Well, I only have one server. They said they don't make a suitable product for just the one server. Sounds strange. Is this right?