Do my Windows VMs require an AntiVirus Solution?

[PantelisP]

We recently purchased the latest version of Parallels Desktop for MAC for one of our developers who is running a number of different Windows VMs, ranging from XP to Windows 10. The host OS (El Capitan) has Sophos Antivirus running. Do I need to install an Antivirus solution to each of the VMs as well? Would it make a difference if the VMs are added to the domain?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Sasti@Parallels]

We recently purchased the latest version of Parallels Desktop for MAC for one of our developers who is running a number of different Windows VMs, ranging from XP to Windows 10. The host OS (El Capitan) has Sophos Antivirus running. Do I need to install an Antivirus solution to each of the VMs as well? Would it make a difference if the VMs are added to the domain?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hello PantelisP,
Yes. The antivirus program on your Mac will not protect the Windows Virtual Machine's online activities such as web-browsing and downloading files. This and Windows being more vulnerable to threats than the Mac, would require you to install a separate antivirus program on your Virtual Machines. That being said, Windows has a in-build antivirus : Windows Defender, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/pc-security/windows-defender.aspx , starting from Windows 8.