Safe Computing
Installing Antivirus Software
Viruses are the most well known of several catagories of maliciously targeted programs (generically called malware); most malware programs install themselves through vulnerabilities in the operating system, software, or through plain old social engineering. Characteristically, once installed they will deliver some sort of a payload (from simply spreading itself again to installing a keylogger to track everything you type) and attempt to spread itself further. While the specific patterns of malware programs vary significantly, the need for a good antivirus program to watch for that is constant.
NSIT licenses McAfee VirusScan for Windows and Mac OS X. Both versions are included as Extras in the Connectivity Package; they are also available for download from the NSIT Site Licensing Office website. Follow the instructions in the Connectivity Package for installing antivirus software or click on the link below to get to the download pages for the software.
Antivirus software is only as affective as its latest definitions, the list of viruses the software can detect. Because of the high number of viruses for Windows, most Windows antivirus software has this capability built into the program to automatically update its definitions on a set schedule (preferably once per day). For Mac and Unix/Linux operating systems, this process is usually done manually and once a week is sufficient.
For information on specific viruses, stop by the McAfee's Virus Information Library.
Last updated: 10/23/07