MOVEit Automation (PGP Tasks) — "Cache File Disappeared / Deleted by Virus Scanner" or "File Already Exists" Error

MOVEit Automation tasks may intermittently fail during PGP processing when a temporary file in the MOVEitCache directory becomes locked, modified, or unavailable.

Oct 14, 2026
Knowledge

Title

URL Name

moveit-automation-pgp-task-cache-file-disappeared-virus-scanner-file-already-exists

Article Number

000306549

Environment

Product: MOVEit Automation (Central) Version: 17.1.10 and earlier legacy releases on active support OS: All Supported Windows Server Operating Systems Component: PGP Encrypt and Sign script; MOVEitCache directory

Question/Problem Description

MOVEit Automation tasks intermittently fail while processing files through PGP Encrypt and Sign scripts. The task may report that a temporary cache file disappeared or already exists.

Affected files may also appear under Actions > Edit Transfer Exceptions. Removing the transfer exception and rerunning the task may allow the same file to process successfully.

Steps to Reproduce

The behavior is intermittent and may not reproduce consistently.

Clarifying Information

⚠️ The "virus scanner" message is misleading. Despite the wording, this error does not confirm that antivirus software detected malware or deleted the file. It means MOVEit Automation could not access the expected temporary cache file mid-task. A temporary file lock by another process (including some antivirus agents) during PGP processing is the known root cause — not an actual malware event. Do not spend InfoSec resources investigating an infection that is not there.

Common Misunderstandings

"My files are infected." → No confirmed virus detection is involved. This is a product-side file-locking bug during PGP processing. Verify by checking AV logs for quarantine events at the exact time of the task failure.

"I need to upgrade to the latest version to fix this." → For version 17.1.x, the fix is targeted for the November 2026 Service Pack. For 2025.x, check KB 000299012 for the fixed version in that stream.

"Removing the exception permanently fixes the problem." → Clearing the Transfer Exception and rerunning is a workaround, not a fix. The failure can recur intermittently until the service pack is applied.

Error Message

The cache file disappeared. The file was probably deleted by a virus scanner that I do not recognize. Error running script PGP Encrypt and Sign on E:\MOVEitCache\<cache-folder>\<temporary-file>.tmp: Error in script at line 278 char 3: File already exists

Defect Number

111168

Enhancement Number

Cause

A temporary file in the MOVEitCache directory may become temporarily locked while MOVEit Automation is processing it. This can prevent the PGP script from completing the expected cache-file operation and may cause MOVEit Automation to report that the file disappeared or already exists.

Resolution

When a task fails and files are stuck, clear the Transfer Exception to allow the next run to attempt the file again:

In the MOVEit Automation web admin, navigate to Tasks and open the failing task.

Click Actions > Edit Transfer Exceptions.

Select the file(s) listed and click Remove selected.

Rerun the task manually. The file should process successfully.

⚠️ This workaround must be repeated each time the failure recurs. It does not prevent the underlying issue from happening again.

These steps reduce the likelihood of AV-related file locking interfering with cache operations:

Check AV exclusion for the cache folder. In your antivirus/endpoint protection console, review whether C:\MOVEitCache (or your configured cache path) is excluded from real-time scanning. If real-time scanning is actively locking .tmp files during PGP processing, add the cache folder to the exclusion list. Coordinate with your security team — full exclusion may not be appropriate for your policy; a reduced scan interval or on-access scan delay may be an acceptable alternative. See MOVEit Automation and Antivirus Agent Configuration FAQ (KB 000223565) for detailed guidance.

Try disabling "Secure Delete" in the Config Utility. Open the MOVEit Automation Config Utility on the server. Locate the Secure Delete option and disable it if enabled. This setting causes Automation to perform additional file-deletion operations that may create temporary file-lock windows exploitable by AV agents. Save and restart the service to apply.

Disable Windows indexing on the cache folder (if not already done per the prerequisite checklist). File indexing accessing the cache concurrently with task execution can produce file-lock conflicts.

4. Verify only a single micentral.exe process is running (Task Manager or Process Explorer).

5. Check that no other monitoring or indexing tools (e.g., Splunk, backup agents) are configured to watch the MOVEitCache directory. MOVEit Automation must be the only application reading or writing to the cache during task execution.

6. If tasks use UNC source or destination paths, confirm the UNC share is stable and accessible — UNC path instability has been associated with similar cache file errors. Monitor the UNC share for separate file-system errors during the window when task failures occur.

The root cause — a temporary file-lock race condition during PGP script execution — is addressed in the November 2026 Service Pack for MOVEit Automation 17.1.x.

To obtain the service pack when released:

Select your MOVEit Automation asset from the My Active tab (or My Company's tab).

Download the Service Pack under Related Products & Downloads.

ℹ️ If you need an interim hotfix before the service pack is released, open a support case referencing Defect 111047 and Defect 111168 so the support team can assess hotfix eligibility for your version.

Workaround

If the update cannot be applied immediately:

Open the affected task.
Navigate to Actions > Edit Transfer Exceptions.
Remove the affected file from the transfer exceptions.
Rerun the task.

Notes

MOVEit Automation and Antivirus Agent Configuration FAQ (KB 000223565) — Use when configuring AV exclusions for the MOVEit Automation server to prevent real-time scanning from interfering with cache operations.

Ignoring message [FILENAME] because a previous run detected a virus in it (KB 000199974) — Use when files are permanently stuck in the Transfer Exceptions list and need to be cleared after AV activity.

Tasks intermittently fail after upgrade to 2025.x with: Cannot access temp file, possibly deleted by a real-time virus checker (KB 000299012) — Use if you are running MOVEit Automation 2025.x; fixed versions are documented there.

How to configure the cache for a MOVEit Automation Server? (KB 000156779) — Use to verify or change the cache directory location, confirm it is local, and understand disk-space requirements.

Keyword Phrase

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Last Modified Date

10/14/2026 8:49 PM

MOVEit Automation (PGP Tasks) — "Cache File Disappeared / Deleted by Virus Scanner" or "File Already Exists" Error

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