Antivirus databases

The antivirus scanning engine relies on a database of virus signatures to detail the unique attributes of each infection. The antivirus scan searches for these signatures, and when one is discovered, the FortiGate unit determines the file is infected and takes action.

All FortiGate units have the normal antivirus signature database but some models have additional databases you can select for use. Which you choose depends on your network and security needs.


Normal		Includes viruses currently spreading as determined by the FortiGuard Global Security Research Team. These viruses are the greatest threat. The Normal database is the default selection and it is available on every FortiGate unit.
Extended		Includes the normal database in addition to recent viruses that are no-longer active. These viruses may have been spreading within the last year but have since nearly or completely disappeared.
Extreme		Includes the extended database in addition to a large collection of ‘zoo’ viruses. These are viruses that have not spread in a long time and are largely dormant today. Some zoo viruses may rely on operating systems and hardware that are no longer widely used.