4D Databases and Anti-Virus Software

4D Databases and Anti-Virus Software

Important information on the compatibility of anti-virus software with timeSensor LEGAL

When using timeSensor LEGAL, the stability and security of your data is one of the highest priorities. An important aspect of this is the compatibility between the database, your computer hardware, and the programs running on it such as the operating system or additional software, especially anti-virus programs. Such programs like Sophos or BitDefender can interfere with the communication process between the timeSensor LEGAL client app and the 4D database and cause significant slowdowns or even connection interruptions. This article shows how to avoid such disruptions.

Antivirus on Windows

timeSensor LEGAL has been tested and certified with Microsoft Windows Defender. Microsoft Windows Defender provides effective protection against threats and works smoothly with our software without affecting the necessary communication or disk writing. We recommend using Windows Defender in conjunction with timeSensor LEGAL to ensure the reliable operation of the software.

To ensure that the timeSensor LEGAL software is not hindered by the anti-virus software, you must enter the following exclusions in the settings of your anti-virus software:

Windows Workstation

Warning
If you have installed the timeSensor Client under C:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram, the paths in the table below should be correct. However, if you have installed it in a custom location or under %USERPROFILE%,, please adjust the paths according to the actual storage location of the folder "timeSensor Client".

ExclusionPath
FolderC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram
Folder%USERPROFILE%\timeSensor
Folder%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\timeSensor
Folder%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\timeSensor
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Client\Native Components\WebViewerCEF.bundle\CefProcessHandler.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Client\timeSensor Client.exe
Process
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\timeSensor\4D\Updater\bin\Updater.exe

On-Premise Windows Server

Warning
If you have installed the timeSensor Server under C:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram, the paths in the table below should be correct. However, if you have installed it in a custom location or under %USERPROFILE%,please adjust the paths according to the actual storage location of the folder "timeSensor Server".

Please also ensure that you adjust the path to the folder "timeSensor DataFiles" according to the actual storage location.

ExclusionPath
FolderC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram
FolderD:\timeSensor DataFiles
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\timeSensor.exe
Process%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\timeSensor\4D\Updater\bin\Updater.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Client\timeSensor Client.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\TSTOOLS\Mythicsoft\FileLocator Pro\FileLocatorPro.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\TSTOOLS\Mythicsoft\FileLocator Pro\flpsearch.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\TSTOOLS\Mythicsoft\FileLocator Pro\flpidx.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\TSTOOLS\Mythicsoft\FileLocator Pro\HotkeyMonitor.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\TSTOOLS\Mythicsoft\FileLocator Pro\IndexManager.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\TSTOOLS\Mythicsoft\FileLocator Pro\SearchTask.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\TSTOOLS\Mythicsoft\FileLocator Pro\ShellAdmin.exe
ProcessC:\ProgramData\timeSensorProgram\timeSensor Server\TSTOOLS\Mythicsoft\FileLocator Pro\tesseract.exe

Antivirus on macOS

We do not consider the installation of anti-virus tools like BitDefender on macOS to be sensible because they potentially cause more harm than benefit.
  1. macOS is an operating system that is inherently equipped with a robust security architecture. Additional anti-virus programs like BitDefender run permanently in the background and scan files and network traffic, which can lead to significant performance losses. Especially on systems used for database management or demanding software like 4D, such performance issues can impair smooth operation and lead to connection losses.
  2. BitDefender and other security programs often modify the network stack and can cause problems in communication between software applications. In our experience, problems especially arise in interaction with databases and network communication that would not exist without anti-virus software. This also complicates troubleshooting because potential problems can be concealed or triggered by the security program.
  3. Apple develops macOS with a range of integrated security mechanisms, including XProtect, Gatekeeper, and System Integrity Protection (SIP). These are specifically tailored to the architecture of macOS and already provide good basic protection against most threats. An additional anti-virus tool therefore often results in a duplication of functions that is unnecessary and can make the system rather unstable.
  4. Anti-virus programs tend to sometimes mistakenly identify harmless files as threats and isolate or delete them. This can lead to data loss and impair the functionality of our software, which is particularly unacceptable in productive use.
While installing an anti-virus program is sensible on Windows, we see a different risk-benefit ratio in the macOS environment compared to Windows. In our experience, problems with viruses on macOS are extremely rare, whereas problems with anti-virus software are common.

Contractual regulations and system requirements

The software license agreement stipulates that timeSensor LEGAL may only be used with a suitable and compatible environment. This includes both the computer hardware and operating systems as well as necessary additional programs such as anti-virus software. The system requirements for timeSensor LEGAL Classic published in the FAQ section of our help center System requirements for timeSensor LEGAL Classic and System requirements for timeSensor LEGAL 365 contain binding information on the configuration of the server and are part of the contractual relationship with our customers.
We ask you to consider these comments when choosing your anti-virus software and to contact our support team if you have any questions or uncertainties. We are happy to assist you to ensure that your working environment is optimally aligned for the use of timeSensor LEGAL.

Further information