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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteUse clamscan for a one-time scan, keep the target narrow, and cap archive and recursion work. For example, clamscan --recursive --log=/var/log/clamav/uploads-scan.log /srv/uploads scans a directory tree and exits without requiring a running clamd daemon. On a constrained host, add limits such as --max-filesize, --max-scansize, --max-files, and recursion caps, then quarantine detections instead of deleting them.
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ClamAV recommends at least 3 GiB of RAM for Linux server editions, with 3–4 GiB a sensible target for constrained servers or containers, plus about 5 GiB of free disk for the application. Less memory can work, but scans may be slower, incomplete when limits are reached, or disruptive to other services.
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What an on-demand ClamAV scan does
clamscan is ClamAV’s one-time command-line scanner. It creates a scanning engine, loads the installed signature database for that invocation, examines the file, directory, or list you specify, prints a result, and exits. It does not need a running clamd process.
That behavior is useful on a small server because there is no permanently resident scanning daemon to share with other jobs. The trade-off is that every invocation must load the engine and signatures again. A daemonized design can avoid repeated startup work, but it keeps memory resident and is a different operating model. This guide is about controlled, on-demand scans with clamscan.
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ClamAV does not provide a special “quick scan” mode. A scan is quick only because you gave it less work: a smaller path, fewer files, exclusions, or explicit size and recursion limits. A whole-filesystem scan can be slow and should be treated as a maintenance task rather than a request-time check.
Check whether the server can tolerate a scan
Memory and disk guidance
ClamAV’s current guidance recommends 3 GiB or more of RAM for Linux and FreeBSD server editions. For a constrained server or Docker environment, plan for 3–4 GiB when possible. The application also recommends about 5 GiB of free disk space. These are guidance figures, not a guarantee that every scan will fit: the workload, signature set, archives, and other services determine the actual peak.
| Resource | Practical planning figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 3 GiB minimum recommended for server editions | The engine and signatures need memory while the scan runs; other services still need their share. |
| RAM in constrained hosts or containers | Target 3–4 GiB where possible | Leaves more room for the operating system, web services, databases, and temporary scan pressure. |
| Free disk | About 5 GiB recommended for the application | Accommodates the installation and signature database; scan targets and logs require additional space. |
A host below these figures may still complete a small, bounded scan, but you should expect trade-offs. The kernel may reclaim cache, use swap, or terminate a process under memory pressure. A limit that prevents one huge archive from consuming resources also means content beyond that limit might not be inspected.
Check capacity before starting
- Review available memory and swap with the operating system’s normal monitoring tools, such as
free -hand your service monitor. Look at available memory, not merely installed RAM. - Check free space on the filesystem holding ClamAV, its database, logs, and quarantine. A full log or quarantine filesystem can turn a safe response into a failed scan.
- Confirm that the ClamAV package and signature database are installed through the supported update mechanism for your Linux distribution.
- Run the signature update and verify that it completed successfully before calling a scan current. A scan made with an old or failed database should not be described as up to date.
- Identify services that cannot tolerate extra CPU, I/O, or memory use. Plan the scan for a low-load period and make sure you can stop it without leaving an application in an unsafe state.
Start with the smallest useful target
Scan one file
Use a fully qualified path when you know exactly which object needs checking:
clamscan /srv/uploads/file.isoThis limits traversal and makes the result easy to interpret. It is a good first step when investigating a newly uploaded file, a support attachment, or an object identified by another service.
Scan files directly inside one directory
clamscan /srv/uploadsWithout --recursive, the path is not treated as an instruction to descend through every child directory. This is useful when the top-level files are the intended scope and nested caches or generated trees should remain untouched.
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Scan a directory tree and write a report
clamscan --recursive --log=/var/log/clamav/uploads-scan.log /srv/uploads--recursive includes subdirectories. --log writes the scan output to the specified file, creating an audit trail that can be reviewed after the process exits. Ensure the user running the command can write the log path and that log rotation or retention will not fill the filesystem.
Bound work on a low-memory host
The following command is a practical example for an uploads tree. It is a policy example, not a universal safe profile:
clamscan --recursive
--log=/var/log/clamav/uploads-scan.log
--exclude-dir='^/srv/uploads/cache(/|$)'
--max-filesize=50M
--max-scansize=200M
--max-files=2000
--max-recursion=8
--max-dir-recursion=12
/srv/uploadsHere, the scan descends through the uploads tree but skips the cache directory, limits an individual file to 50 MB, limits the total amount of data examined in an archive to 200 MB, processes at most 2,000 files, and restricts archive and directory nesting. Adjust every value to the host’s capacity, the types of files you accept, and the amount of missed content your risk model allows.
When a file or archive exceeds a limit, ClamAV may skip content or report that a limit was exceeded rather than inspect everything. Treat those messages as coverage information, not as proof that the object is clean. If large archives are important to your workflow, schedule a separate scan on a larger machine instead of silently raising limits on a fragile production host.
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Resource controls and their current defaults
The current Cisco-Talos manual lists these defaults. Defaults can vary by ClamAV release and Linux distribution, so check the installed binary with clamscan --help before relying on a value.
| Option | Manual default | What it bounds | Low-memory use |
|---|---|---|---|
--max-scantime |
120000 ms (120 seconds) | Total scan time | Stops an invocation that runs longer than the configured time; use only when a hard time budget is more important than complete coverage. |
--max-filesize |
100 MB | Size of an individual file considered for scanning | Prevents very large files from dominating I/O and processing. |
--max-scansize |
400 MB | Amount of data examined in an archive or container | Controls decompression and nested-content work. |
--max-files |
10,000 | Number of files examined within a scan context | Places a ceiling on file-count explosions in archives or broad targets. |
--max-recursion |
17 | Archive or container nesting depth | Limits deeply nested compressed content. |
--max-dir-recursion |
15 | Directory traversal depth | Prevents unexpectedly deep directory trees from extending the job. |
The defaults are not a promise that a low-memory server will remain responsive. A target containing many ordinary files can still generate substantial disk and CPU activity even when no individual file is large. Conversely, lowering a limit reduces resource use while increasing the chance that suspicious content is not fully examined.
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Control the scan’s scope deliberately
Exclude known caches and generated data
--exclude and --exclude-dir take regular expressions and can be repeated. The example --exclude-dir='^/srv/uploads/cache(/|$)' matches that cache directory and its descendants. Exclude only data you understand: a cache may be regenerated, but an attacker could also hide a malicious file in a location you assumed was disposable.
On a system-wide scan, avoid blindly traversing mounted pseudo-filesystems, runtime sockets, and temporary trees. Build exclusions from the actual mount layout and application behavior. Record them in the scan procedure so another administrator knows what was intentionally left out.
Use a curated file list
For a review set assembled by another process, create a newline-delimited file containing the paths and pass it to ClamAV:
clamscan --file-list=/var/lib/clamav/review-files.txt
--log=/var/log/clamav/review.logA file list makes the coverage auditable: you can retain the exact input set alongside the log. Validate how the list is generated, especially if filenames can contain whitespace, unusual characters, or paths outside the intended directory.
Why full-system scans need a maintenance window
A full-filesystem scan reads a large number of files, follows permitted directory paths, and may inspect archive contents. Runtime depends on file count, storage speed, archive structure, exclusions, and limits; there is no universal completion time for a low-memory server. Run such a job during a maintenance window, monitor the host, and avoid overlapping it with backups, database maintenance, or heavy deployment activity.
Keep results useful and preserve evidence
Reduce routine output without losing the log
Use --infected to show only infected-file findings, or --suppress-ok-results to suppress clean-result lines. Continue writing a complete log when auditability matters. A quiet terminal does not replace a retained record of what was scanned and when.
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Quarantine instead of deleting
For an automated response, move or copy detections into a controlled, writable quarantine directory:
clamscan --recursive
--log=/var/log/clamav/uploads-quarantine.log
--move=/var/quarantine
/srv/uploads--move removes the file from its original location after placing it in quarantine; --copy preserves the original and writes a quarantine copy. Choose a directory with restrictive permissions, enough free space, and a retention process. Keep metadata needed for investigation, such as the original path and scan log.
Do not automate --remove merely because a scanner reported a detection. The official documentation warns that false positives can cause data loss. A review process should confirm the finding, identify the owner of the file, and decide whether restoration or additional analysis is required.
Do not disable bytecode to save memory
Bytecode is highly recommended in the Cisco-Talos manual. Disabling it can miss detections for many new viruses. On a small host, reduce the target and apply resource limits before considering a security feature change. A scan that completes quickly but omits bytecode is not an equivalent scan.
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Monitor the run and stop safely
Watch available memory, swap activity, CPU load, disk latency, and the health of the services sharing the machine. A rising swap rate, severe I/O wait, or failing application requests is a reason to stop or postpone the scan rather than allow the host to become unavailable. Use the normal process-control method for your operating system and record that the scan was interrupted; an interrupted run is not a clean bill of health.
When a scan reaches a limit, note the affected path and limit in the report. A result that says content was skipped or exceeded a cap should trigger a follow-up on a larger host or with a narrower, intentional scope. Do not describe that run as complete coverage.
Choose on-demand scanning or a daemon deliberately
| Decision factor | One-time clamscan |
Daemonized scanning with clamd |
|---|---|---|
| Memory residency | Engine and signatures are loaded for the invocation, then released when it exits. | Scanning service remains resident, so memory is committed between requests. |
| Startup cost | Each run loads the engine and signatures again. | Repeated requests can use the already running service. |
| Coverage control | Each command explicitly defines a file, directory, list, exclusions, and limits. | Coverage depends on the daemon integration and its configured limits. |
| Best fit on a small host | Occasional, targeted scans scheduled during low-load periods. | Continuous or high-volume scanning when the host has enough memory for a resident service. |
Do not start clamd simply because a tutorial uses it. If your requirement is an occasional manual check and the server is memory-constrained, clamscan is the simpler fit.
A repeatable low-memory scan procedure
- Define the objective. Decide whether you are checking one upload, an application directory, a curated list, or the whole filesystem. The narrowest scope that answers the question uses the fewest resources.
- Check capacity. Confirm available RAM, swap behavior, free disk, log space, and quarantine space. Compare the host with the 3 GiB RAM and 5 GiB free-disk guidance.
- Update signatures. Use the distribution-supported update process and verify success. Record the update result before claiming the scan uses current signatures.
- Inspect local defaults. Run
clamscan --helpand note the installed release’s size, file-count, recursion, and time limits. - Run a narrow test. Start with one file or a small directory. Confirm that permissions, logging, and output behave as expected.
- Add bounds. For a broader tree, set archive-size, file-count, recursion, and, if appropriate, time limits. Add exclusions only when you accept the coverage trade-off.
- Preserve the record. Write a log, retain the exact command and target, and use
--infectedor--suppress-ok-resultsonly when the full audit record remains available. - Handle detections cautiously. Move or copy suspicious files to quarantine, restrict access, and review false-positive risk before any deletion.
- Review limit messages. Treat skipped or exceeded content as an explicit coverage gap and arrange a follow-up scan if that content matters.
- Schedule responsibly. Run recurring jobs during low-load periods, avoid competing maintenance tasks, and reassess limits when file volume or archive sizes change.
Common failure modes and fixes
The scan makes the server unresponsive
Stop treating the command as a harmless background task. Narrow the path, exclude disposable generated data, lower archive and recursion limits, and schedule the job when other services are quiet. If the host remains below ClamAV’s memory guidance, move broad scans to a larger machine.
The log cannot be written
Check that the parent directory exists, the invoking account can write it, and the filesystem has free space. Keep logs outside a volatile directory if you need them for audit or incident review.
A large archive is reported as skipped or exceeded
That is the expected consequence of a cap, not evidence of cleanliness. Record the path, then scan it with a higher-capacity system or create a narrowly scoped follow-up with limits appropriate to the archive.
Exclusions hide files you later need
Review the regular expression and compare it with the actual path. Remove the exclusion for the follow-up scan or use a curated file list. Keep an inventory of exclusions so the coverage decision is visible.
You are tempted to use --remove
Use --move or --copy instead and require human review. A false positive deleted from an application directory may be harder to recover than a quarantined file.
Bottom line for a small server
Run clamscan directly against the smallest path that answers your question, update signatures successfully first, and log every meaningful run. On hosts with limited memory, cap file size, archive scan size, file count, and recursion; monitor the system while the job runs; and quarantine detections rather than deleting them. A bounded scan can be a responsible control, but limits and exclusions define what it did not inspect.
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