Excel took longer time to save after installing SEP client 14.3 RU6

[Tommy]

Hi Expert, 

Anyone encountered the following issue before? Microsoft Office (Words, Excel and Powerpoint) took longer time to save ( Mouse icon keep on loading) after installing SEP 14.3 RU6. 

Workaround Done
1) By disabling the Virus and Spyware Protection component. Everything is working smoothly. Issue resumed after enable back the component. 
2) By temporary disabled the Auto Protection the issue is remaining the same. 
3) Added the Microsoft Office installation path into Exception policy (for a ****) yet still no improvement. 


Running out of ideas. 

[Ed Agoff]

I would continue troubleshooting along the direction you've already started. No symptoms when autoprotect is disabled (did you disable only autoprotect, or the entire virus and spyware protection component?). Excluding Office installation path from AV doesn't help. So the problem lies somewhere between. Try excluding the root of local drive(s) and all subfolders. If that doesn't work, then you know an exclusion won't help. Otherwise, proceed in a divide-an-conquer approach to find the affected file system area.

[Tommy]

Hi Ed

Thank you for your feedback.

From the SEPM Management Server level, I have added both path into the Exception Policy (By Folder). But there was no improvement.

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\
• C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\

I also applied the workaround given in the KB article 151562 below but the issue remaining the same.

• Microsoft Word Or Excel takes a long time to save a file

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article?articleId=151562

[Tommy]

Hi Ed

To add-on. Based on my testing earlier if I disabled the entire Virus and Spyware Protection component. The Excel can save instantly without delay. After enable back the entire Virus and Spyware component. The Excel will start loading after clicking on the save button.

I did another test by Disabled the entire Auto-protect features only. Based on the results, The result remaining the same, no improvement. 

[Ed Agoff]

Auto-Protect is just one sub-component of "Virus and Spyware Protection". If disabling entire "Virus and Spyware Protection" category solves the problem but disabling only Auto-Protect does not, then file system exclusion won't help. What's left that might be causing this? Possibilities include the remaining "Virus and Spyware Protection" sub-components: Outlook Auto-Protect, Early Launch Anti-Malware, and Download Insight. Download Insight seems most likely to me. Continue to test and isolate. If it is Download Insight, then there may be an MS Office site that needs added as a trusted web domain. Please open a case with technical support if you need further assistance.

[M Strong]

I would also look at what is in the file, if it is a macro enabled file or has some other embedded code that may be triggering some additional logic in the SEP client at save time.  If it is download insight then I'd be additionally concerned as to why Microsoft (or whichever external endpoint at the other end) is interested in anything to do with you saving a local file to a local file system.  Could be an indication of an APT.

Outside of scope: I'm actually a little concerned myself at the realization of what you mentioned about a MS Office site having to be trusted (and hence is potentially being contacted) during a local file save operation.

I'm interested in what ends up being the root cause here.