To provide your email users with anti-virus protection, you can use either the Plesk Premium Antivirus or Sophos Anti-Virus for Servers solutions. Both solutions can scan server’s mail traffic in real time, however, only Sophos Anti-Virus for Servers allows fine tuning and filtering of specific file types from attachments, and it also consumes less RAM for operation.
The both programs require an additional license key with annual renewal. Check the current prices with your provider or visit Plesk site.
To install Plesk Premium Antivirus or Sophos Anti-Virus for Servers:
1. Go to **Tools & Settings** \> **Updates**. Updater will open in a new window or tab.
2. Click **Add/Remove Components**.
3. In the list of components, expand the **Mail hosting** group and select **Install** for either the **Plesk Premium Antivirus** or the **Sophos Anti-Virus for Servers** option.
4. Click **Continue**.
After the installation is completed, obtain and install a license key for the selected antivirus program. For this purpose, follow one of the links:
- Purchase Sophos Anti-Virus for Servers
- Purchase Premium Antivirus
When a corresponding page is opened, perform the following steps:
1. Because Plesk add-ons are added to the license keys that already exist, you will need to specify the number of your license key to which you add this feature and click **Submit**.
2. In the next steps, indicate the currency, number of keys, provide contact details, billing address, and payment method, and submit the form. You will be notified by email when your order is processed.
3. When you receive the email notice, return to the **License Information** screen (**Tools & Settings** \> **License Information**) and click **Retrieve Keys**. Plesk’s License Manager will retrieve the upgraded license key from the Plesk licensing server and install it.
4. Go to **Tools & Settings \> Antivirus** (in the **Mail** group). Under **Antivirus settings**, select the desired antivirus and click **OK**.
If you install Plesk Premium Antivirus, you can switch on antivirus protection only on a per-mailbox basis, and only after you have set up mailboxes. By default, virus definitions are retrieved every 5 hours, and this setting is not changeable through the Plesk user interface.