Sophos Anti-Virus for Unix

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Sophos Anti-Virus for Unix is virus detection and disinfection software which can be installed on Unix file servers and workstations. It checks local and remote file systems, networks, Internet downloads, email attachments and Groupware for the presence of viruses. It operates in scheduled, on-access and on-demand modes. Its unique architecture intelligently determines which files need to be virus checked, maximising user transparency and minimising performance overhead. Flexible configuration options mean that Sophos Anti-Virus can make the most efficient use of workstation and network resources.

How it works

Sophos Anti-Virus for Unix has three components:

SWEEP provides on-demand checking of files on Unix file servers or workstations. Scheduled scans are also possible using SWEEP and standard Unix facilities.
InterCheck provides server based on-access virus checking for non-Unix workstations.
Sophos Anti-Virus Interface (SAVI) allows third-party software developers to integrate their firewall, gateway and similar applications with Sophos Anti-Virus.

Infected files can be removed.

Infected documents can be disinfected.

Features

Is updated twelve times a year, and urgent interim updates can be downloaded or, on request, be received via fax or email.
Easily detects polymorphic viruses using Sophos's advanced Virus Description Language (VDL) and a built in code emulator.
Detects and disinfects Microsoft Word, Excel and Office 97 macro viruses.
Provides automatic updating for networked PCs.
Features an `immediate mode' which allows checking on demand.
Prevents non-administrative users from altering scanning settings or disabling InterCheck's on-access scanning.
Ensures total security by providing automatic centralised reporting of every virus incident.
Offers on-screen expert help as part of the CD on which the software is delivered.
Protects WANs, LANs, portables and stand-alones.
Provides Sophos Anti-Virus for Unix servers and Sophos Anti-Virus for DOS/Windows 3.1x, Windows NT and Windows 95/98/Me all as part of a single licence.

Technical details

Product name	Sophos Anti-Virus for Unix.
Function	Scanning individual workstations and file servers for known viruses.
Mode of operation	SWEEP: command line interface. InterCheck: daemon background process. SAVI: shared library.
On-access scanning	InterCheck.
Updates	12 per year, sent by post at the beginning of each month, or available for download.
Virus alerts	System administrators (and optionally other users) can be automatically notified by SMTP email. In addition, logging is provided via syslog.
Specification of items to be checked	Individual files, recursive searching of subdirectories, individual disk subdirectories.
Specification of identities	Between monthly updates, interim virus identities (.IDEs) for new in-the-wild viruses can be downloaded and added into SWEEP at runtime; they can also be sent as faxed ASCII text.
Platforms	Solaris/SPARC Solaris/Intel Linux/Intel Linux/Alpha SCO OpenServer/Intel SCO UnixWare/Intel Digital Unix/Alpha (Compaq Tru64 Unix/Alpha) AIX/PowerPC FreeBSD/Intel HP-UX/HP-PA

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