CMMC Level 2

Control 3.14.5

Perform Periodic and Real-Time Scans

CMMC-RP Certified Team 24+ Years Experience 2,500+ Clients Served

Official Requirement

Perform periodic scans of the information system and real-time scans of files from external sources as files are downloaded, opened, or executed.

What This Means in Plain English

Your anti-malware tools should scan files in real-time (as they are opened, downloaded, or executed) and also perform scheduled full-system scans periodically to catch anything that might have been missed.

How Petronella Implements This Control

Petronella Technology Group implements this control through:

  • Sophos XDR real-time on-access scanning for all file operations
  • CrowdStrike Falcon behavioral monitoring scanning all process executions in real-time
  • Weekly full-system malware scans scheduled during off-hours
  • Microsoft Defender for Office 365 scanning all email attachments before delivery
  • FortiGate gateway scanning all downloaded files from the internet in real-time

Assessment Guidance

Assessors will verify that real-time scanning is enabled and functional, check that periodic full scans are scheduled and completing, test real-time detection by downloading a test file, and review scan logs for completeness.

Common Implementation Gaps

  • Real-time scanning disabled for performance reasons
  • No scheduled periodic full-system scans
  • Email attachments not scanned before delivery
  • Downloads from the internet not scanned at the gateway
  • Scan exclusions too broad, creating protection gaps

Cross-Framework Mapping

FrameworkMapped Controls
NIST SP 800-53SI-3
PCI DSSReq 5.1 - Deploy anti-virus software on all systems

Need Help Implementing 3.14.5?

Our CMMC-RP certified team can assess your current compliance posture and build a remediation plan.

Schedule a Compliance Assessment