Re: Anti virus scanning for Postgres database servers

2025年9月23日(火) 6:21 soumen rana <soumenrana(dot)06(at)gmail(dot)com>:
>
> Hi Everyone,
>
> The oganization I work for uses some postgres databases installed on Linux servers. The security team is planning to initiate Microsoft Defender Anti Virus scanning on these servers in an "Active" mode.
>
> This will mean that the Postgres Installation directories and files will be scanned by Microsoft Defender and quarantine any threats.
>
> We have requested to exclude the data directories from the Antivirus scanning.
> Is anyone aware of any performance, operational, or data-loss related challenges with Anti Virus scanning of Postgres binaries?

I'm pretty sure I've worked on support cases in the past caused by
antivirus software doing things it shouldn't...

If the antivirus software in question modifies files in any way, it
will corrupt your PostgreSQL installation.
A few places warning against using antivirus software on PostgreSQL
data directories:

- https://www.highgo.ca/2021/01/27/avoiding-identifying-and-dealing-with-postgresql-database-corruption-part-1/
- https://www.postgresql.eu/events/pgconfeu2023/sessions/session/4602/slides/406/data_corruption.pdf
- https://docs.microfocus.com/UCMDB/11.0/ucmdb-docs/docs/eng/doc_lib/Content/database/PostgresConfig_c_notes.htm

Regards

Ian Barwick