CIS Control 10.2: Configure Automatic Anti-Malware Signature Updates
Malware threats evolve daily, and manual signature updates create dangerous gaps in protection. CIS Control 10.2 requires automatic anti-malware signature updates across all enterprise assets to ensure your defenses stay current without human intervention. This control is critical for maintaining continuous malware detection capabilities in a threat landscape that changes by the hour.
What this means
This control mandates that anti-malware and antivirus tools automatically download and deploy the latest threat signature files without requiring manual updates. Signature files contain threat definitions that enable security tools to identify known malware, ransomware, and other malicious code. By automating this process, organizations eliminate the operational burden and human error risk associated with manual updates, ensuring every endpoint stays protected against current threats.
How to comply
- 1.Enable automatic update settings in all anti-malware tools and antivirus software deployed across your environment
- 2.Configure signature updates to occur at least daily, with more frequent intervals (hourly or real-time) for high-risk assets
- 3.Verify that updates apply to all enterprise assets including servers, workstations, laptops, and mobile devices
- 4.Test update mechanisms in staging environments to ensure compatibility before deploying to production
- 5.Establish monitoring and alerting to detect failed or missed signature updates immediately
- 6.Document your update configuration, frequency, and validation processes for audit purposes
- 7.Review vendor update channels to confirm you're receiving signatures from legitimate, trusted sources
Evidence auditors look for
- Screenshots of anti-malware software settings showing automatic updates enabled
- System logs confirming successful signature file downloads and deployments
- Reports showing signature update frequency and coverage across all enrolled assets
- Policy documentation specifying automatic update requirements and schedules
- Monitoring dashboards displaying update status and health across the fleet
- Configuration files from endpoint protection management consoles
Frequently asked questions
When will FAQs be available?
The FAQ for this control is currently being prepared.
GRCWatch automatically tracks anti-malware signature update status across your entire asset inventory, generates compliance evidence from your security tools, and alerts you to failed updates—eliminating manual log reviews and spot-checking.
See how GRCWatch handles this control automatically
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