According to one embodiment of the invention, a session list identifying communication sessions relating to supplicants that access a computer network through an access device is created and stored at an authentication server. Then, an event is received from an anti-virus system announcing an updated anti-virus policy. User input is received that requests performing posture validation for all the supplicants. Next, in response to the information received, a time value for starting the posture validation for a particular supplicant identified in the session list. Finally, in response to the information received, a request to perform posture validation is generated and sent to the access device, wherein the request includes supplicant identifying information, the time value, and instructions that instructs the access device to initiate the posture validation for that supplicant only after the time value has expired. The steps are repeated for all supplicants in the session list.