McAfee Security Center 2008-When there's a yellow exclamation mark at your task bar and when you double-click on the yellow exclamation box, they ask

McAfee applications are not able to update through authenticating Proxy servers causing Signature files to be out of date

Summary: Some Internet proxy servers require you to enter a username and password to authenticate. McAfee products are not able to simulate this process, causing updates to fail and signature files to be out of date.

Affected Suites:	Affected Products:	Affected Operating Systems:
Total Protection Internet Security Suite PC Protection Plus VirusScan Plus	AntiSpyware  Data Backup Personal Firewall Privacy Service  QuickClean  SecurityCenter  SiteAdvisor Anti-Spam SpamKiller  VirusScan  Wireless Protection	Windows 2000 Windows XP Windows Vista

Description

Some Proxy servers are configured to require authentication with a username and password before allowing any network traffic through. While this is a valid configuration, the authentication requirement causes McAfee product downloads and updates to fail.

Solution

When connecting to the Internet through a proxy, McAfee Updates displays No Update are available. After 8 days, the McAfee protection status icon will be displayed in the system tray. Double-clicking the icon will open McAfee SecurityCenter which will report the problem: Your signature files are 8-29 days old. If the updates continue to fail, after 30 days the problem description will change to Your signature files are more than 30 days old.

Option 1 - Run the MSCPRXFIX.EXE tool

Note: This tool cannot be used if a proxy server is authenticating the user. In that case, go to http://us.mcafee.com and reinstall VirusScan to get the latest signature files.

1. Download the tool from: http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MSCPRXFIX.exe.
2. Double-click MSCPRXFIX.exe.
3. After running the tool, restart the computer.
4. To check for updates, right-click the M icon in the system tray and select Updates.
   

Option 2 - Disable authentication on the proxy server to allow anonymous connections

Consult your proxy server manuals and support information for assistance with allowing anonymous connections.

Additional information

McAfee is not able to provide assistance with the following configurations, and provides them as suggestions only:

• Use rule-based authentication and create a rule to allow anonymous connections for the following domain names: *.mcafee.com, *.siteadvisor.com, *.hackerwatch.com.
• Set up the default gateway to a network border device other than the proxy server. Then open Internet Explorer, click Tools, Internet Options and add the following domain names to the Local Intranet list on the Security tab: *.mcafee.com, *.siteadvisor.com, *.hackerwatch.com.

McAfee is unable to assist in the creation of authentication rules for third party proxy servers. Please consult your proxy server manuals and support information.

Last Modified: 12/07/07
Modified by: WHudson