About scanning for risks

Symantec Protection Engine can scan all major file types (for example, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel files). Symantec Protection Engine can detect mobile code, such as Java, ActiveX, and stand-alone script-based threats. Symantec Protection Engine also includes a decomposer that handles most types of compressed and archive file formats and nested levels of files.

Symantec Protection Engine also helps you protect your network by blocking potential threats. When you receive information about a new threat, you can block or delete the message, file, or file attachment before definitions are available.

See About preventing potential threats in Symantec Protection Engine

Scanning for risks can consume bandwidth, increase overall scanning time, and degrade performance. You can improve scanning performance by limiting the files and email messages to be scanned to only those that are most likely to contain risks.

See About container files in Symantec Protection Engine

See Specifying the maximum file or message size to scan

For more information about viral threats, security risks, and other forms of malicious attacks, on the Internet, go to the following URL for Symantec Security Response:

http://securityresponse.symantec.com