10.6
IG2 IG3

Centrally Manage Anti>Malware Software

Control Group: 10. Malware Defenses
Asset Type: Devices
Security Function: Protect

Description

Centrally manage anti-malware software.

Implementation Checklist

1
Assess current protection controls in place
2
Configure and deploy required security controls
3
Test control effectiveness in non-production environment
4
Deploy to production and verify functionality
5
Document configuration and operational procedures
6
Deploy anti-malware solution to all applicable endpoints
7
Configure automatic signature updates
8
Enable real-time scanning and scheduled full scans
9
Establish centralized management and alerting

Threats & Vulnerabilities (CIS RAM)

Threat Scenarios

Inconsistent Malware Protection Due to Decentralized Management

Integrity

Without centralized management, individual endpoint anti-malware installations drift in configuration, signature versions, and policy enforcement, creating a patchwork of protection levels where some assets are effectively unprotected.

Undetected Anti-Malware Agent Failures

Confidentiality

Anti-malware agents on individual endpoints crash, are disabled by users, or are terminated by malware, and without centralized management visibility these failures go undetected, leaving endpoints silently unprotected.

Delayed Threat Response from Fragmented Malware Alerts

Availability

Malware detection alerts fire on individual endpoints without centralized aggregation, preventing the security team from recognizing coordinated attacks, tracking outbreak scope, or initiating organization-wide containment.

Vulnerabilities (When Safeguard Absent)

No Centralized Anti-Malware Management Console

Anti-malware software is deployed on individual endpoints without a centralized management platform, making it impossible to verify deployment coverage, enforce consistent policies, monitor agent health, or aggregate threat telemetry.

No Visibility into Endpoint Protection Health Status

The security team cannot determine which endpoints have active, properly configured, and up-to-date anti-malware protection because there is no central dashboard showing agent status, signature versions, and scan results.

Evidence Requirements

Type Evidence Item Collection Frequency
Technical Configuration screenshots or exports showing protection controls enabled Captured quarterly
Document Procedure documentation for protection measures Reviewed annually
Technical Anti-malware deployment status and detection statistics Monthly
Document Governing policy document (current, approved, communicated) Reviewed annually

Related Policy Templates