CIS Control 10.6: Centrally Manage Anti-Malware Software
Malware remains one of the most common attack vectors against SMBs, but fragmented endpoint protection creates blind spots. CIS Control 10.6 requires organizations to deploy and centrally manage anti-malware solutions across all assets to detect and prevent infections at scale.
What this means
Centrally managed anti-malware means deploying a unified protection platform that monitors all endpoints from a single console, ensures consistent policy enforcement, enables real-time threat detection, and maintains audit logs of all malware incidents and remediation actions. This control eliminates coverage gaps where unprotected or inconsistently configured systems become infection vectors.
How to comply
- 1.Select an enterprise-grade anti-malware solution with centralized management console and real-time threat intelligence feeds
- 2.Deploy anti-malware agents to all endpoints—servers, desktops, laptops, and removable media—without exception
- 3.Configure centralized policies to enforce consistent scanning schedules, threat response actions, and quarantine procedures
- 4.Enable real-time alerts and notifications for detected threats to your security team
- 5.Maintain detailed logs of all malware detections, quarantines, and remediation actions for audit purposes
- 6.Conduct monthly reviews of malware incidents and adjust detection rules or policies based on emerging threats
- 7.Test anti-malware effectiveness quarterly using safe malware samples to verify proper detection and containment
Evidence auditors look for
- Anti-malware console screenshots showing all managed endpoints and their protection status
- Centralized policy documentation specifying scan frequency, threat response actions, and quarantine settings
- Malware detection logs with timestamps, threat names, file paths, and remediation actions for the past 12 months
- Email alerts or tickets demonstrating real-time threat notifications sent to security personnel
- Monthly malware incident summary reports documenting trends and policy adjustments
- Proof of quarterly malware testing using controlled samples and detection verification results
- Endpoint audit reports confirming 100% deployment rate of anti-malware agents
Frequently asked questions
When will FAQs be available?
The FAQ for this control is currently being prepared.
GRCWatch automates anti-malware policy deployment tracking, consolidates detection logs from your security tools into a unified compliance dashboard, and generates evidence packs for auditors—eliminating manual log collection and compliance reporting for CIS 10.6.
See how GRCWatch handles this control automatically
Start free trial