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Division of IT: Security
Make IT Safe: Anti-Virus SoftwareDont Let A Virus Get You Down!
One way to keep your computer healthy is to use anti-virus software. Keeping your computer virus-free not only protects your system but it also protects all the computers that share your network. Anti-virus programs scan for and automatically remove worms, viruses, and trojan horses. These programs can be very damaging to your computer. Anti-virus programs work by comparing computer files against a file containing known virus components, called the virus definition file. The virus definition file is updated regularly because new viruses are created every day. Your department's IT Professional has most likely installed anti-virus and shceduled updates for your Univeristy system, however for your personal systems, the Division of Information Technology provides, free of charge, Symantec Endpoint Protection software for windows and Norton's for Mac. This software is available for download via the Software Distribution Site for all faculty, staff, and students. Vulnerable or infected computers pose a risk to all computers on the network. Symantec Endpoint Protection includes a no-charge subscription to virus definition updates. These updates are critical to safe computing. Infected computers are at risk of being disconnected from the MU Network. Most programs have a feature that allows you to schedule your anti-virus software to automatically download new virus protection files (for example, in the Symantec product licensed by MU this feature is called LiveUpdate). This protects your machine against the newest threats. You need to make sure to schedule the updates at a time when you know the computer will be powered on. For more information, see Viruses & Patches. |
