# Getting started with anti-malware scanning

Anti-malware scanning checks files against an anti-malware database to find harmful content, such as viruses. If the scanner detects infected files, it strips them out.

Note: This feature requires a separate license.

The anti-malware scanner can inspect IPv4 traffic. The supported protocols in anti-malware inspection are FTP, HTTP, HTTPS, IMAP, POP3, and SMTP.

Anti-malware is supported on all Single and Clustered NGFW Engines and Virtual NGFW Engines (configured on the Master NGFW Engine).

Because the data being inspected is not synchronized between the nodes, connections that are undergoing anti-malware scanning at the time of a failover are dropped. The applications must reopen the connections.