macOS Scanning Exclusions

You can add scanning exclusions for macOS workstations.

When you add or edit an exclusion, you can type any POSIX path, whether it is a volume, folder, or file.

Example: /Volumes/excluded (Mac)

Warning Think carefully before you add scanning exclusions because doing so may reduce your protection.

To specify which items are excluded, use the rules in the table below.

Exclusion rules


Token	Syntax to use	Item(s) to exclude
/	Suffix the exclusion with a slash	A folder and sub-folders recursively
//	Suffix the exclusion with a double slash	A folder but not sub-folders
<filename>	Do not suffix the exclusion with a slash or double slash	A file
/	Prefix the exclusion with a slash	A folder or file in a specific location
<folder> <file>	Do not prefix the exclusion with a slash	A folder or file anywhere locally or on the network
*	Substitute an asterisk for the filename stem	A file whose name has a specific filename extension


Exclusion path	Item(s) that are excluded
/myfolder/myapplication	The file myapplication in a specific folder
/myfolder/	All files in the folder myfolder in a specific location and sub-folders recursively
/myfolder//	All files in the folder myfolder in a specific location but not sub-folders
myfolder/myapplication	The file myapplication in any folder that is called myfolder locally or on the network
myfolder/	All files in any folder that is called myfolder, locally or on the network, and sub-folders recursively
myfolder//	All files in any folder that is called myfolder, locally or on the network, but not sub-folders
myapplication	The file myapplication anywhere locally or on the network
*.mov	All files whose filename extension is .mov anywhere locally or on the network
/myfolder/*.mov	All files whose filename extension is .mov in a specific location