Scan Methods

OfficeScan can use either conventional scan or smart scan when scanning for viruses/malware.

Conventional Scan

Conventional scan is the scan method used in all earlier OfficeScan versions. A conventional scan client stores all OfficeScan components on the client computer and scans all files locally.

Smart Scan

Smart scan is a next-generation, in-the-cloud based endpoint protection solution. At the core of this solution is an advanced scanning architecture that leverages threat signatures that are stored in-the-cloud.

Scan Methods Compared

The following table provides a comparison between these two scan methods:

Basis of Comparison

Conventional Scan

Smart Scan

Availability

Available in this and all earlier OfficeScan versions

Available starting in this OfficeScan version

Scanning behavior

The conventional scan client performs scanning on the local computer.

  • The smart scan client performs scanning on the local computer.

  • If the client cannot determine the risk of the file during the scan, the client verifies the risk by sending a scan query to a Smart Scan Server.

  • Using advanced filtering technology, the client "caches" the scan query result. The scanning performance improves because the client does not need to send the same scan query to the Smart Scan Server.

  • If a client cannot verify a file’s risk locally and is unable to connect to any Smart Scan Server after several attempts:

  • The client flags the file for verification.

  • The client allows temporary access to the file.

  1. When connection to a Smart Scan Server is restored, all the files that have been flagged are re-scanned. The appropriate scan action is then performed on files that have been confirmed as infected.

Components in use and updated

All components available on the update source, except the Smart Scan Agent Pattern

All components available on the update source, except the Virus Pattern and Spyware Active-monitoring Pattern

Typical update source

OfficeScan server

OfficeScan server

 

See also:

Scan Types

Scan Actions