Antivirus can be Checked Without a License

Overview

This document describes how Antivirus can be checked without a license.

Detail

If the user is without an Antivirus (AV) license, Palo Alto Networks firewalls can check for AV updates.

Cause

This is the expected behavior, and generally does not cause any issues. If the firewall is deployed in such a way that it cannot reach the update server, there may be an event generated such as:

Failed to check Antivirus content upgrade info due to generic communication error

Resolution

To disable AV updates altogether, enter the following commands in the CLI:

> configure

# delete deviceconfig system update-schedule anti-virus recurring

# commit

Note: The commands above will permanently disable the AV checks, even if a license is subsequently purchased.

The checks must be re-enabled with the following commands if AV updates are desired:

> configure

# set deviceconfig system update-schedule anti-virus recurring daily at 05:00

# commit

owner: gwesson