Why does MetaDefender Storage Security get stuck in a remediation loop, causing inaccessibility?

This article applies to all MetaDefender Storage Security releases deployed on Windows and Linux systems.

Scenario:

In certain environments, MetaDefender Storage Security (MDSS) repeatedly retries remediation actions on specific files, even when the remediation fails or when files are already processed as allowed (depending on customer configuration).

As a result, multiple files may become stuck in the remediation process, eventually causing the MDSS web interface to become unresponsive until the MDSS service is restarted.

Root Cause

The remediation loop occurs when MDSS retries remediation actions multiple times without an effective retry limit per real-time process or global configuration.

By default, MDSS performs up to 3 remediation retries with 30-second intervals. When too many real-time processes (RTPs) are running on a single MDSS instance, resource contention can further increase the likelihood of remediation loops or degraded responsiveness.

Resolution

  • Distribute workload Deploy MDSS in an active-active model by distributing RTP workloads across multiple MDSS instances. For example: one instance handling 3 RTPs and another handling 4 RTPs instead of running all RTPs on a single instance.

  • Review remediation retry configuration Adjust the remediation process retry parameters according to the official documentation: https://www.opswat.com/docs/mdss/configuration/remediation-process-retries

  • Investigate failed remediations Check the scan report details of failed files to identify the underlying causes, such as:

    • Permission or ownership issues
    • File locking by other applications
    • Interference from antivirus or endpoint protection

If Further Assistance is required, please proceed to log a support case or chatting with our support engineer.
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Why does MetaDefender Storage Security get stuck in a remediation loop, causing inaccessibility?Scenario:Root CauseResolution