Test Email Virus Protection

Question

This is kind of an odd question, but what is a good way to test the virus protection on my Exchange 2003 server? Sounds kind of odd, and I really don't want to infect anything accidentally if it doesn't work...

I am running McAfee Security Service for Exchange and I want to see what happens when it comes across a virus-infected message.

Maybe I should just wait until I get one to see what it does? ;)

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 10 '11 at 17:37

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Use the Eicar test virus. Its fake, but will trigger anti-virus software.

answered Feb 10 '11 at 17:37

Steven

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score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 10 '11 at 17:35

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I don't know about exchange specifically, but you might try the Anti-Virus Test File.

answered Feb 10 '11 at 17:35

Aeo

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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 10 '11 at 17:36

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Use the EICAR virus test file. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EICAR_test_file .

answered Feb 10 '11 at 17:36

rems

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 10 '11 at 17:37

I don't know for sure if McAfee supports it, but there's a standard file called the EICAR file that is not a virus, but that almost every anti-virus vendor recognizes as a virus so that you can test AV deployments without actually infecting yourself. You can find the contents of the file and details on how to use it at http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

As for how to do the test, you can send it with a standard client as an attachment but you might run into local AV checks before you get to the server. I like to use something like swaks to send the file to avoid client AV issues

McAfee support it - all reputable AV vendors support it. – Rob Moir Feb 10 '11 at 18:50 — Rob Moir, Feb 10 '11 at 18:50

Test Email Virus Protection

4 Answers4