Free Windows Server Antivirus

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Antivirus choices

There are not many products to choose from. We have an AV family such as Immunet, clamav and ClamWin and finally MS Security Essential (MSE). The first group is always available as an antivirus even for linux platforms.

ClamAV is available for Windows with the same scanning and detection capabilities available when using ClamAV on macOS and Linux, with exception to the On-Access Scanning feature (Linux).

Immunet is a real-time fully featured desktop AV solution. It contains cloud based detection technologies and the enterprise grade ClamAV detection engine. The product is produced and maintained by Cisco which owns both ClamAV and Immunet.

ClamWin is a free application that provides a graphical front-end for ClamAV, similar to ClamTk. ClamWin is maintained by ClamWin Pty Ltd., and has no association with ClamAV, Cisco, or the Immunet product. Additionally, ClamWin does not contain an on-access real-time scanner, and can only be used to manually scan files.

The last, but not least, is from Microsoft, and is typically distributed along with the Windows 7 and 10 operating system, but not for Windows Server. It has all the credentials for a modern recognition system for every type of threat. And that’s what I’ll focus on.

Personal experience.

I have been using Immunet for a long time since with Windows Server there is no declared possibility to install MSE. However, just a small trick is enough, although documented in the installer’s shell, but not advertised enough, to have it even in an MS Server environment.

Please do download it by the following link.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-all-versions

How to install it

The command shell must be opened with administrator privileges.

My favorite way is to open the windows menu, look for the ‘cmd.exe’ and click on it with the right mouse button. This will allow you to run the ‘Command Prompt with Administrator privileges’.

Make sure you have also changed directory to where the MSE installation file resides. Then execute the command:

mseinstall.exe /disableoslimit

Complete the installation and proceed with the required updates. Follow instructions displayed in the MSE.

The first quick file analysis will follow. In the meantime, do not restart the server.

You can even reboot if you want, when all is finisched.

What do you think? How do you find MSE?

If this article was helpful to you, leave a comment. Thanks!