Virus identity (IDE) files: how to automate downloading with command line utilities
Where possible, we recommend that you use the automatic updating features of Sophos
What to do
Command line downloading utilities
- GNU Wget is a freely available network utility to retrieve files from the World Wide Web using HTTP and FTP. It works non-interactively and is the preferred tool for command line downloading.
- URL2File is a free 32bit Windows console-mode application able to retrieve and save the content of a given World Wide Web or FTP URL to a local file. It works in some circumstances where Wget will not.
These two utilities work in a similar manner. They can be used in an equivalent way in downloading scripts.
Files that can be used in automated downloading
The file types below can be used with scripts and utilities to automate the downloading of IDE files. The most commonly used are the self-extractor and Zip files.
- IDEs digest file
The IDEs digest file, http://www.sophos.com/downloads/ide/ide_dgst.txt, is a small (4 KB) checksum file that is updated each time IDEs are released, or updated, on the website. The best way to detect an update is to check for a change to this file.
- Self-extractor files
The self-extractor files are .EXE files which contain all the IDE files available for a specific version of Sophos
Anti-Virus . They will self-extract in Windows, MS-DOS and OS/2.The following self-extractor files are available:
- The self-extractor file for each supported version of Sophos
Anti-Virus has a name derived from the version number. For example, the file for version 3.71 is called 371_ides.exe. - The self-extractor file for the current CD version is also called ides.exe.
- The self-extractor file for the current web version is also called web_ides.exe.
Self-extractor files are only generated if there are any IDE files available.
- The self-extractor file for each supported version of Sophos
- Zip files
The Zip files contain all the IDE files available for a specific version of Sophos
Anti-Virus .The following Zip files are available:
- The Zip file for each supported version of Sophos
Anti-Virus has a name derived from the version number. For example, the file for version 3.71 is called 371_ides.zip. - The Zip file for the current CD version is also called ides.zip.
The Zip files are only generated if there are any IDE files available.
- The Zip file for each supported version of Sophos
Planning a script to poll the IDEs digest file
A script can be used to poll the IDEs digest file for updates.
Before you write the script:
- Download http://www.sophos.com/downloads/ide/ide_dgst.txt to a known place on your computer (the archive version). This could be, for example, a file or database record.
- Identify where the IDE files should be downloaded to.
Then write a script to do the following:
- Download http://www.sophos.com/downloads/ide/ides_digest.txt
- Compare the content of this file to the archive version.
- If the archive file and newly downloaded versions differ, then the IDEs have been updated:
- Download and install the new IDE package.
- Store the content of the newly downloaded ides_digest.txt file as the archive version.
- Wait for one hour before repeating these actions.
Planning a script to download IDE files
The steps that need to be followed are:
- Check which version of Sophos
Anti-Virus is being used. - Download the appropriate self-extractor or Zip file.
- Extract the IDEs into the relevant CID directories. (Use the self-extractor, or unzip with WinZip or PKZIP).
- Reload Sophos
Anti-Virus .
This must be used as part of a monthly updating policy which removes old IDEs from CIDs.
Example script for a single Windows computer using the self-extractor file
CD C:\SOPHIDE
DEL *.IDE
DEL IDES.EXE
WGET http://www.sophos.com/downloads/ide/ides.exe
IDES.EXE
COPY /Y *.IDE C:\Progra~1\Sophos~1\
NET STOP SWEEPSRV.SYS
NET START SWEEPSRV.SYSThis script
- changes to the SOPHIDE folder
- deletes any old IDES.EXE and IDE files
- downloads the IDE self-extractor to a folder called SOPHIDE
- runs the self-extractor
- copies the IDEs to your Sophos
Anti-Virus installation folder - stops and restarts the Sophos
Anti-Virus services.
The last two lines are only necessary in Windows NT/2000/XP/2003. In Windows 95/98/Me, you should reboot to load the new IDE files.
To use this script, copy it into Notepad and save it as IDEDOWN.BAT on your desktop. Make a folder in the root of the C: drive called 'SOPHIDE' before first running the script and place Wget in it. Double-click IDEDOWN.BAT to run it.
Scripts can be made for network installations on Windows and other servers. If you require information on more complex scripts, technical support can advise you further.
If you need more information or guidance, then please contact technical support.
- Article ID: 10378
- Created: 8 Jan 2004
- Last updated: 8 May 2008
