Department of Information Technology-Norton Anti-Virus

Utilities

Computer Viruses: What are they and what do you need to know about them?

During recent e-mail classes we learned that people are often confused about the importance of protecting against computer viruses. So… I went back to my office PC and looked up some virus information for you.

The “Webopedia” defines a virus as “ a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Most viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt.”

ZDNet tells us that “Some viruses are as benign as the common cold, and others can be as deadly to your hard drive as something from the movie Outbreak. …With more than 17,000 known strains, the chances that your computer will contract one at some point are pretty good.

Take into account that only about 40 percent of PC owners use antivirus software, and that viruses can spread to your system easily from the Internet, bulletin boards or e-mail attachments, and we’re talking epidemic. Luckily, though, there are some powerful preventative measures and some equally effective antidotes once you’ve contracted a bug.”

What does this mean to you here at Middlesex? The Department of Information Technology has loaded Norton Anti-Virus on your PC. As the above articles suggest, one of the most common ways to obtain a virus is through e-mail attachments. ( Please refer to the e-mail handout that is being given with passwords for information about how you should process attachments that you receive.) It is preferable for you to save the attachment and then activate Norton’s scan before opening it.

To activate Norton’s Anti-Virus to scan a specific file or directory:

1. Left click on the “Start” button

2. Left click on “Programs”

3. Left click on “Norton Anti-Virus”

4. Left click on the third option- “Norton Anti-Virus”

The following box will appear:

¨ Left click on “Scan” from the main menu

¨ Choose the drive or file you would like to scan from the drop down menu

¨ If Norton’s detects any viruses you will be given options for dealing with the virus, Choose “repair”

¨ If no viruses are detected, go ahead and open the attachment.

Last updated May 21, 2003