The Scan Engine is central to McAfee Enterprise products that use the Scan Engine. The Scan Engine uses information contained in the DAT files to identify and act against viruses. To view FAQs about the regular DAT files, see: KB55986 - FAQs for V2 DAT files, or KB82396 - FAQs for V3 DAT files.
The Scan Engine is updated frequently to implement new advances in antivirus technology and to provide the greatest level of protection against virus threats. The Scan Engine consists of a binary that contains the program logic to do the following:
- Scan files at particular points
- Process and pattern-match virus definitions with data it finds within scanned files
- Decrypt and run virus code in an emulated environment
- Apply heuristic techniques to recognize new viruses
- Remove infectious code from legitimate files
To download a DAT, Engine, XDAT, or Stinger file, go to the Security Updates page.
You might need to download these files if your automated update fails, or to use an Extra.DAT on an infected system.
Where are the minimum specifications published?
The minimum specifications are published as part of the readme.txt shipped within the Scan Engine packages.
NOTE: The minimum specifications are only for the Scan Engine, and don’t include any allowance for the managed product.
How can I verify the Scan Engine's code-signing certificate?
For steps to complete this task, and to learn more about the Scan Engine and its digital signature, see: KB52425 - Information about the Anti-Malware Scan Engine and its digital signature.
Is it important to keep my Scan Engine and DAT files up to date?
Updating your DAT files regularly is essential to the security of your environment. Keeping your Scan Engine up to date is equally important. Architectural changes to the way the Scan Engine and DAT files work together make it critical for you to update your Scan Engine. An old Scan Engine doesn’t detect some threats.
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