Antivirus at PSU: CrowdStrike Falcon

Owned by Max Parmer
Last updated: Oct 22, 2024
2 min read

Antivirus at PSU: CrowdStrike Falcon

CrowdStrike Falcon is PSU’s next-generation antivirus/anti-malware solution for endpoint and server threat detection and response, automatically deployed to all OIT managed faculty and staff computers. CrowdStrike Falcon is a lightweight agent running in the background to detect and quarantine malicious activity without user interaction. Unlike our previous solution Trellix (formerly McAfee), you will not see a system tray icon to indicate that it is installed. The steps below will help you determine if it is installed on your system and how to access it.

For information on antivirus/anti-malware solutions for personal systems, refer to our larger discussion of Antivirus Software.

How to Determine if CrowdStrike Falcon is Installed

macOS

On macOS systems, you will find the Falcon.app in the Applications folder. The app will not launch, but its presence indicates that it is installed. The application can also be found via Search and should read “Falcon.app” via screen reader.

Falcon.app logo

If you are prompted to Allow or Deny the installation of Falcon on your macOS system, please select Allow.

Windows

CrowdStrike Falcon on Windows has no user-facing applications or shortcuts. To determine if it is installed and running properly, open Virus and threat protection in Windows Security.

Screenshot of the Virus and Threat protection window with Current threats, Protection settings, and Windows Security Virus and threat protection window with all updates marked - No actions needed.

Pop-up Notifications

You may receive a pop-up notification if CrowdStrike detects an issue or a file scan is initiated. Periodic file scans are routine and can be safely ignored.

No action is necessary unless:

  • You are still experiencing a related issue

  • You need a file restored that has been quarantined

  • You need to request an exception for a legitimate application that is being blocked or quarantined

To report an issue, contact the OIT Help Desk.

How to Initiate an On-Demand Scan

Windows

  1. Right-click the desired file or folder in File Explorer or select Shift + F10 while the desired file or folder is selected. (If you are using Windows 11, select Show more options.)

  2. Under the CrowdStrike Falcon malware scan menu option, select Scan.

macOS

On-demand scanning is not yet available on macOS but is coming soon.