Policy serial numbers and groups stop updating after making a policy change.

Products

• Endpoint Protection
• Network Access Control Starter Edition

Issue/Introduction

Client groups no longer update their policies after making changes. If you check the GUID named folders under C:\Program Files\Symantec\Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager\Data\Outbox\Agent\<GUID> you note that they are not updating either after making changes. Only some groups may be affected, but others work fine. Creating new groups fails to generate a policy serial number for that group and no folder for that group is created under the Agent folder.

From Scm-Server-0.log:

2010-10-08 16:34:35.896 SEVERE: Unknown Exception in: com.sygate.scm.server.task.PackageTask
java.lang.NullPointerException
 at com.sygate.scm.util.XPathSchemaUtil.xpath(XPathSchemaUtil.java:98)
 at com.sygate.scm.util.XPathSchemaUtil.xpath(XPathSchemaUtil.java:63)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.logicaobject.AvPolicyCompiler.getValue(AvPolicyCompiler.java:3728)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.logicaobject.AvPolicyCompiler.getValue(AvPolicyCompiler.java:3717)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.logicaobject.AvPolicyCompiler.getMacroVirusAction(AvPolicyCompiler.java:3215)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.logicaobject.AvPolicyCompiler.getAPActions(AvPolicyCompiler.java:3200)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.logicaobject.AvPolicyCompiler.getAVScheduledScan(AvPolicyCompiler.java:2071)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.logicaobject.AvPolicyCompiler.getAVAdminDefinedScanOptions(AvPolicyCompiler.java:1660)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.logicaobject.AvPolicyCompiler.getAVAdminDefinedScanOptionsLink(AvPolicyCompiler.java:393)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.logicaobject.AvPolicyCompiler.compile(AvPolicyCompiler.java:199)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.Spa50ProfileCompiler.buildAVPolicy(Spa50ProfileCompiler.java:1004)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.publisher.compiler.Spa50ProfileCompiler.compile(Spa50ProfileCompiler.java:822)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.task.PackageTask.updateProfile(PackageTask.java:1046)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.task.PackageTask.updateGroup(PackageTask.java:993)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.task.PackageTask.getChildGroups(PackageTask.java:1214)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.task.PackageTask.getChildGroups(PackageTask.java:1215)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.task.PackageTask.checkGroupDirectory(PackageTask.java:903)
 at com.sygate.scm.server.task.PackageTask.run(PackageTask.java:305)
 at java.util.TimerThread.mainLoop(Timer.java:512)
 at java.util.TimerThread.run(Timer.java:462)

Cause

A policy has become corrupt which is causing PackageTask to fail.

Resolution

This issue has been fixed in Symantec Endpoint Protection 11 Release Update 7 (RU7).  For information on how to obtain the latest build of Symantec Endpoint Protection, read TECH 103088: Obtaining an upgrade or update for Symantec Endpoint Protection or Symantec Network Access Control.