What To Do If A Virus Or Security Risk Is Detected - Symantec 10551441 - AntiVirus Corporate Edition Client Manual

42 Protecting your computer from viruses and security risks
About the antivirus and security risk policy

What to do if a virus or security risk is detected

About scanning all file types
Symantec AntiVirus can scan all of the files on your computer, regardless of
extension or file type. Scanning all file types ensures the most thorough scan,
because this option enables Symantec AntiVirus to detect viruses and security
risks in files that might not otherwise be searched. Scanning by all file types is
more time consuming than scanning by selected file types or scanning by file
extensions, but it's also more thorough.
If a short scan is important to you, you should set up Auto-Protect scans or idle
scans (when available) to scan by extension, and then configure a scheduled
scan at least once a week to thoroughly check your computer.
About preventing macro virus infections
The Symantec AntiVirus scanner automatically detects and removes most
Microsoft Word and Excel macro viruses. By regularly running scheduled scans,
startup scans, or Auto-Protect, you can protect your computer from macro virus
infections. Symantec AntiVirus regularly searches and cleans any macro viruses
that it detects.
To best prevent macro virus infections, do the following:
Enable Auto-Protect. Auto-Protect constantly scans files that have been
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accessed (for example, file execute or file open) or modified (for example,
file rename, file modify, file create, file copy, or file moves to a location).
Run Auto-Protect for your email, if available.
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Set all scan options to scan by All types.
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Protect your global template files by disabling automacros.
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Symantec AntiVirus responds to files that are infected by viruses or security
risks with a first action and a second action. By default, when a virus is detected
by Auto-Protect or during a scan, Symantec AntiVirus attempts to clean the
virus from the infected file. If Symantec AntiVirus cannot clean the file, the
second action is to log the failed cleaning attempt and move the infected file to
the Quarantine so that the virus cannot spread, which denies you further access
to the file.
Depending on your antivirus policy, you can change these settings to delete an
infected file on detection or leave it alone (log only). For Auto-Protect, you can
also choose to deny access. In addition, you can set different actions for macro
and nonmacro viruses for each scan type separately.