Endpoint Protection

Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office

I think it would help speed things up if it were not scanned.

Hello,

You can exclude but it is not recommended for security reasons.

Do you feel that Microsoft Office folder is 100% secured?

I doubt it. I dont' think you will see much of a performance improvement here if you exclude that directory and it could pose a pretty significant risk.

What's going on to make you think you need to exclude?

I wont exclude that :) why do you want to do that?

Outlook has been slow recently, and sometimes i can see OST files growing to 20GB. Doubt it's related, but was curious.

SEP should've added the necessary exclusions when installed on Exchange:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH102400

Hello,

I wouldn't have done those exclusions, if I would have been you.

In today's world of targeted virus, Hackers and Virus developers are using places to hide these virus files we could not even think of. You are simply creating a security hole by creating a exception.

Hello,

I don't think those are related. Secondly, do you have any protection for your exchange?

I would recommend you to install Symantec Mail Security for Exchange:

http://www.symantec.com/mail-security-for-microsoft-exchange

Secondly, have you checked these Articles of Symantec Endpoint Protection 12.1:

Creating exceptions for Symantec Endpoint Protection

http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO80919

About the automatic exclusion of files and folders for Microsoft Exchange server and Symantec products

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH102400

Hope that helps!!

Hi,

Thank you for posting in Symantec community.

I would be glad to answer your query.

Would it be safe to exclude the MS Office directory

--> Though it's not suggested you can exclude but check if you really see any performance improvement. I don't think there would be noticeable change. When we talk about security even though you exclude MS office from scan it doesn't mean SEP will not detect threat if there is any.

If there is any threat inside MS office application SEP will definitely detect.

Do you see any performance issue with scheduled scan or manual scan?

There is one setting which we do recommend to the customer when he face slowness issue with MS office application. Uncheck the option scan when a file is modified.

I'd recommend against excluding the entire Office directory.

As far as other options go, have you considered adding an exception for the .ost extension?  If you do go down this route, I'd recommend you restrict this exception to apply to auto-protect only.  This would then ensure your scheduled scans will still check to make sure the ost files are clean.

In addition, as it's Outlook in particular you're seeing slow performance in, can you confirm if you're using the Outlook scanner component in SEP?  Perhaps you could test disabling it (if you are indeed using SEP Outlook Scanner).

Prove that sep is the culprit. If so, you can add a necessary exclusion.

I know, I live by this rule too. I just was testing.

HI, 

Not recommended.

Regards

Ajin