Efficient heartbeat with remote servers by network-attached storage (NAS) cluster nodes is provided herein. A data storage system as described herein can include a memory that stores computer executable components and a processor that executes computer executable components stored in the memory. The computer executable components can include a node assignment component that generates assignments for NAS nodes resulting in respective associated NAS nodes, the assignments associating respective ones of the NAS nodes with respective distinct anti-malware servers, and a heartbeat messaging component that instructs the respective associated NAS nodes to transmit heartbeat request messages to the respective distinct anti-malware servers according to the assignments.