Virus Free Certificate

[PR Tech]

I have a customer that works as a Realtor. She is moving to a new office, and that office requires her to have system scanned and certified as virus free before they will let her attach to their wired/wireless network. Has anyone else come something like this, where they need to be certified as virus free?

 

[Krilus]

I have a few Realtor clients here Canada and have not yet seen this requirement.

 

[glricht]

Unless I did a N&P, I'm not sure it's even possible to CERTIFY that a PC is 100% virus-free. (Maybe 99.9%, but not 100%)

That being said, I could envision taking in a PC and running it through a large complement of anti-virus and anti-malware programs and then stating that "after scanning and cleaning the PC, no virus or malware were found."

 

[Krilus]

If it were me in this position I would l look at the N&P option.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I have a customer that works as a Realtor. She is moving to a new office, and that office requires her to have system scanned and certified as virus free before they will let her attach to their wired/wireless network. Has anyone else come something like this, where they need to be certified as virus free?

I've certainly heard of, and seen, systems like that...usually in much larger environments. With big budgets. Example....Cisco makes a large appliance...the ISE NAC. (used to be called Cisco Clean Access). It "controls" which computers can be allowed on the network..when you first plug into the network you're in a walled garden....a "dead zone" on the network. It will scan for an agent on the computer...and if the computer has the agent on it, which specifies if it has all Microsoft updates, updated/compliant antivirus, stuff like that...you will be allowed on the network. If the computer does not pass the check..it is not allowed on the main network....gets a message that it needs to get the agent installed and the updates and checkup done.

Popular at large schools and many more strict businesses.

As for on the small scale myself...I wouldn't want to "stamp" my 100% approval of clean on a system unless I nuked 'n paved it.

 

[cypress]

I would also opt for the Nuke and Pave.

 

[nlinecomputers]

So everybody is bringing their own devices and attaching them to the network? Laptops and the like. So if you certify it today, they take it to work, then bring it home again and THEN get infected what is in place to protect the network then? Sounds like a whole lot of BS to me.

 

[allanc]

So everybody is bringing their own devices and attaching them to the network? Laptops and the like. So if you certify it today, they take it to work, then bring it home again and THEN get infected what is in place to protect the network then? Sounds like a whole lot of BS to me.

I agree.
It's like a car being 'new' until it is driven out of the showroom or lot.

 

[katz]

So everybody is bringing their own devices and attaching them to the network? Laptops and the like. So if you certify it today, they take it to work, then bring it home again and THEN get infected what is in place to protect the network then? Sounds like a whole lot of BS to me.

Exactly...

 

[nlinecomputers]

Frankly if you approach the Realtor correctly this could be a major opportunity for a MSP offering. I suspect that they require this because they don't know any better. This approach can be modified so that you could be the one company doing the certifications and then you can put your RMM agent on the units, with built in AV on it, a proper firewall install at the edge, even offer monitoring for other BYOD devices such as phones and iPads.

 

[PR Tech]

So everybody is bringing their own devices and attaching them to the network? Laptops and the like. So if you certify it today, they take it to work, then bring it home again and THEN get infected what is in place to protect the network then? Sounds like a whole lot of BS to me.

Yes. Each Realtor in the office is an independent contractor essentially. It is a bring your own computer/device environment. So after chatting with the main office a bit more for clarification, they have let me know that they put a policy in place because some of the new Realtors were bringing in infected computers and causing a bit of havoc on their network resources. Our responsibility is to verify the system has been thoroughly scanned for viruses and malware. We are to also recommend an antivirus program to them. We are not responsible for making them purchase one, however. So our certification letter consists of 1) The computer has been thoroughly scanned and is virus free to the best of our knowledge and, 2) The Realtor has an updated and a working virus scanner is installed.

 

[nlinecomputers]

So in other words they are one cryptowall infection away from being totally fraked.

 

[Ed_Zipper]

It is a battle of futility by simple minded people who cannot see past the lint in their wallet. They deserve to be cryptoed

 

[Krynn72]

Yes. Each Realtor in the office is an independent contractor essentially. It is a bring your own computer/device environment. So after chatting with the main office a bit more for clarification, they have let me know that they put a policy in place because some of the new Realtors were bringing in infected computers and causing a bit of havoc on their network resources. Our responsibility is to verify the system has been thoroughly scanned for viruses and malware. We are to also recommend an antivirus program to them. We are not responsible for making them purchase one, however. So our certification letter consists of 1) The computer has been thoroughly scanned and is virus free to the best of our knowledge and, 2) The Realtor has an updated and a working virus scanner is installed.

I'd probably still put a disclaimer on it saying you can't guarantee it remains virus free once it leaves your possession.

 

[Markverhyden]

I'd probably still put a disclaimer on it saying you can't guarantee it remains virus free once it leaves your possession.

Yes. Do a N&P, all updates, proper AV install, and a BIOS flash. For a certificate I would write up something that said that was done to the machine and to the best of your knowledge it is virus free when it was handed over to the EU. However you cannot certify that it will stay that way once it leaves your possession. There is a reason why there are no virus free certificate templates available. Because no one can certify that.

Of course, as mentioned, this would be a great way to push a MSP solution for managed AV. You do not have to push the whole MSP ball of wax, just the anti-malware part.

 

[HCHTech]

if you approach the Realtor correctly this could be a major opportunity for a MSP offering.

I like the way you think, nline! Take what is an annoying request and turn it into a consistent source of business. Put together a nice package for the first guy, and make a copy for the owner/manager/whatever. Next think you know, you are the de-facto solution for every new agent they hire, and then the others start calling you as well when they see you around the office.

Great answer!

 

[Appletax]

If it were me in this position I would l look at the N&P option.

The only way to make absolute sure a system is virus-free is to N&P. You have to do a N&P if a rootkit is detected.

Sources: my PhD instructor and computer security textbooks