1.5. Antivirus and EDR Exclusions

We recommend excluding specific folders and binaries from antivirus scanning.

These exclusions help prevent antivirus engines from removing agent and scanner executables. They can also improve scan speed because real-time engines do not check every file that the scanner opens for analysis. This can improve scan speed by up to 30% and reduce the system's CPU load.

1.5.1. General Recommendation

We recommend using this list and including all subfolders:

Folder Exclusions including Subfolders

Windows

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent\

Linux

/usr/sbin/asgard2-agent-service

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/

/var/tmp/asgard2-agent/

macOS

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/

/var/tmp/asgard2-agent/

/private/var/tmp/asgard2-agent/

Note

If you have obfuscated the agent name, replace asgard2-agent with your custom agent name.

If you need a more specific list that can use wildcards, use the following list and replace [random] with the wildcard. If possible, use the broader approach above.

Specific File/Process Exclusions

Windows

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\asgard2-agent.exe

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\asgard2-agent-service.exe

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\thor.exe

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\interrogate.exe

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\console.exe

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\asgard2-agent_sc.exe

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\asgard2-agent_sc-service.exe

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent\ (and all sub folders)

Especially

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent\[random]\thor\thor.exe

And/Or

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent\[random]\thor\thor64.exe

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\ (and all sub folders)

Especially

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\aurora\[random]\aurora\aurora-agent.exe

And/Or

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\aurora\[random]\aurora\aurora-agent-64.exe

Linux

/usr/sbin/asgard2-agent-service

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/asgard2-agent

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/bin/console

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/bin/interrogate

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/bin/thor

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/bin/update

/var/tmp/asgard2-agent/[random]/thor/thor-linux

/var/tmp/asgard2-agent/[random]/thor/thor-linux-64

macOS

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/asgard2-agent-service

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/asgard2-agent

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/asgard2-agent/bin/console

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/asgard2-agent/bin/interrogate

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/asgard2-agent/bin/thor

/var/lib/asgard2-agent/asgard2-agent/bin/update

/var/tmp/asgard2-agent/[random]/thor/thor-macosx

With the more specific list, some AV solutions can still trigger on certain keywords in filenames. They do not terminate the excluded executable, but they block write access to disk if keywords such as bloodhound or mimikatz appear in filenames. In these cases, executable exclusions are not enough. Use the recommended list of folders and all subfolders above.

1.5.2. McAfee EDR Exclusions

McAfee requires exclusions in multiple locations. In addition to the general recommendation, customers with McAfee EDR need to set the following exclusions.

1.5.2.1. McAfee On-Access Scan

McAfee On-Access Scan Exclusions

Low Risk

thor.exe

thor64.exe

interrogate.exe

generic.exe

asgard2-agent.exe

asgard2-agent-service.exe

aurora-agent-64.exe

aurora-agent.exe

Exclusions

(include sub folders)

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent\

%SYSTEMROOT%\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\

Access Protection

thor.exe

thor64.exe

interrogate.exe

generic.exe

aurora-agent.exe

aurora-agent-64.exe

asgard2-agent.exe

asgard2-agent-service.exe

asgard2-agent-windows-amd64.exe

asgard2-agent-windows-386.exe

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent\*\thor\*

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent\*\thor\*\*

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent\*

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\aurora\*\aurora\*

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\aurora\*\aurora\*\*

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\aurora\*

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\*

%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\asgard2-agent\*

1.5.2.2. McAfee EDR

McAfee EDR Exclusions

Network Flow

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\asgard2-agent.exe

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\generic.exe

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\interrogate.exe

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\thor.exe

Trace

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\asgard2-agent.exe

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\generic.exe

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\interrogate.exe

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\bin\thor.exe

File Hashing

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\

C:\Windows\System32\asgard2-agent\*\

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent\

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent\*\

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\

C:\Windows\Temp\asgard2-agent-sc\*\