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So I downloaded a virus definition file for symantec endpoint protection. We regularly update our client's closed network anti virus using these files once every 6 months. The files are of '.JDB' extension which I presume is some sort of database containing the virus definitions from Symantic

What intrigues me is that the file is only 232MB in size! So I asked myself, of ALL the virusses in the world since Bill Gates was born... is it only a mere 232MBs?

user1034912
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  • It's mostly MD5s of the viruses, and commonly some information about how the virus is stored. – Chris S May 20 '13 at 01:39
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    Six months is not "regular" updates for antivirus definitions. "Daily" would be regular. Several times daily is typical. If the network truly is completely offline, then less often may be appropriate, but six months seems too infrequent by far. – Michael Hampton May 20 '13 at 02:31

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Why would you download the viruses? You're downloading signatures to identify them, and they happen to be much smaller than the malicious code is itself.

Jacob
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