Antigen
by Microsoft

Antigen server-level antivirus, anti-spam, and content-filtering products help businesses protect their e-mail and collaboration environments against viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content.

With a layered, multiple scan engine approach, Antigen products help stop the latest threats before they impact business and users. Scanning and management innovations, along with tight Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint and Live Communications Server integration, maximize administrator control and server availability. Content and file filtering technologies ensure that organizations can eliminate inappropriate language and dangerous attachments from internal and external communications.

Antigen benefits include:

•	Advanced Protection: Multiple scan engines at multiple layers throughout the e-mail infrastructure provide improved protection against e-mail threats.
•	Availability and Control: Tight integration with Microsoft Exchange and Windows-based SMTP servers maximizes availability and management control.
•	Secure Content: Helps organizations eliminate inappropriate language and dangerous attachments from internal and external communications. Microsoft Antigen: Frequently Asked Questions Q. What is Antigen? A. Microsoft Antigen e-mail and collaboration security products help businesses protect their Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Windows-based Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Gateway, Microsoft Live Communications Server, and Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services servers from viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content. With a layered, multiple scan engine approach, Antigen security products help stop the latest threats before they impact businesses and users. Scanning and management innovations, along with tight Exchange, Windows SharePoint Services, and Live Communications Server integration, maximize administrator control and server availability. Content and file filtering technologies ensure that organizations can eliminate inappropriate language and dangerous attachments from internal and external communications. Q. What products are included in the Microsoft Antigen release? A. Microsoft Antigen products include Microsoft Antigen for Exchange, Microsoft Antigen for SMTP Gateways, Microsoft Antigen Spam Manager, and Microsoft Antigen Enterprise Manager. These products are the first Microsoft-branded versions of the Sybari products acquired in 2005. These products will be generally available on July 1, 2006. Antigen for Windows SharePoint Services and Antigen for Instant Messaging are part of the Antigen e-mail and collaboration security product line. Microsoft-branded versions of these products are scheduled to be available in the first half of 2007. Sybari-branded versions of these products will be available through the Microsoft channel and Microsoft volume licensing until that time. Q. How is Antigen licensed? A. Microsoft Antigen products are licensed through the Microsoft Online Services program on a per user subscription model, with the exception of Antigen Enterprise Manager, which is licensed as a per server subscription license. This license includes all antivirus and anti-spam scan engine updates, signatures, and product upgrades during the license period. Customers can license Antigen as part of the following Microsoft licensing programs: • Enterprise Agreement • Enterprise Agreement Subscription • Select • Academic Select • Government Select • Open Value • Open Value Subscription • Server Provider License Agreement • High Volume Messaging Services • Campus and School Agreement Q. How does Antigen relate to other Microsoft security technologies? A. Antigen antivirus and anti-spam products protect at the server to prevent viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content from reaching end users. This provides complementary protection to other Microsoft security products. • Microsoft Internet and Security Acceleration Server (ISA): ISA is Microsoft’s advanced stateful packet and application-layer inspection firewall, virtual private network (VPN), and Web cache solution that enables enterprise customers to easily maximize existing information technology (IT) investments by improving network security and performance. Antigen for SMTP Gateways can run on ISA Server to protect SMTP traffic. • Exchange Hosted Services: While Antigen offers customers an on-premise solution for protection on all messaging and collaboration servers, Exchange Hosted Services (EHS) provides e-mail protection “in the cloud.” Used together, these solutions offer complete, layered defenses to help ensure e-mail productivity and availability for users. The EHS and Antigen solutions use the common principles of multiple antivirus scan engines and multiple anti-spam techniques to provide improved protection against the latest viruses, worms, and spam. EHS provides edge protection that removes the threats before they can enter an organization’s infrastructure. Antigen software protects internal routing and mailbox servers and provides incident containment within the e-mail infrastructure. • Microsoft Forefront Client Security: Microsoft Forefront Client Security provides businesses the control they need to protect against current and emerging malware threats such as spyware; viruses; and rootkits on desktops, laptops, and file servers. This protection complements Antigen e-mail and collaboration server protection. Q. How do Antigen products fit into Microsoft’s overall security strategy? A. The security of our customers is a top priority for Microsoft, and we remain committed to delivering software, services, and best practices that together will help better protect our customers and the industry. We are working with the industry to build trust in computing so that all computer users can realize their potential. Our approach to security requires continued technology investment from the industry and customers, prescriptive guidance, and industry leadership through partnership, policy, and initiatives. Because e-mail and collaboration security threats like viruses, worms, and spam are a critical concern to our customers, Microsoft invested in the Antigen products, which helps build the foundation for our overall defense-in-depth security strategy. Q. How will customers benefit from Microsoft Antigen products? A. The Microsoft-branded version of Antigen will include the Microsoft Antivirus scan engine, giving Antigen customers an additional “in-the-box” engine with which to protect their e-mail and collaboration environments. This release of Antigen will also have completed the Microsoft Security Design Lifecycle review, ensuring that Antigen meets Microsoft’s high standards for secure code development. Customers will also be able to take advantage of improved cluster support and enhanced anti-spam and antivirus signature update features. Q. Which versions of Exchange do Microsoft Antigen products support? A. Microsoft Antigen products support Exchange Server 2003 and Exchange 2000 Server. Q. Will Antigen become a feature of Exchange or be part of the Windows operating system? A. No. It is Microsoft’s intention to continue to sell this technology as a stand-alone set of products. Q. What antivirus scan engines are included with Antigen? A. Antigen products support multiple scan engines from industry-leading vendors. Below is a chart of what scan engines are available with each product. Product/Suite Available Engines Microsoft Antigen for Exchange Microsoft, CA InoculateIT, CA Vet, Norman, Sophos Microsoft Antigen for SMTP Gateways Microsoft, CA InoculateIT, CA Vet, Norman, Sophos Microsoft Antigen Spam Manager SpamCure from Mail-Filters. Messaging Security Suite1 (Includes Antigen for Exchange, Antigen for SMTP Gateways, and Antigen Spam Manager) Microsoft, CA InoculateIT, CA Vet, Norman, Sophos, Authentium, Kaspersky, VirusBuster, and AhnLab Sybari Antigen for SharePoint CA InoculateIT, CA Vet, Norman, Sophos Sybari Antigen for Instant Messaging CA InoculateIT, CA Vet, Norman, Sophos 1 As a best practice, Microsoft recommends that customers do not activate more than five engines in any given Antigen product installation.