It can be difficult to avoid computer viruses and worms on a day-to-day basis.
That funny email attachment a friend forwarded to you last month? Could be a virus!
That link to a video sent by a co-worker last week? Could be a virus!
That really cool screen saver you saw the other day and want to download? Could be a virus!
Sometimes they‘re in the last places you would expect. Because of this it is extremely important to be sure to have Antivirus software installed on your computer. Having it simply installed, however, isn‘t enough and it‘s necessary to update your antivirus software daily and to scan your computer regularly.
Install Antivirus Software:
- MSU Bozeman provides fee McAfee Antivirus software for its students and for University-owned work computers. To download and install a copy visit one of the sites below and follow the installation instructions provided.
- For Students:https://www.montana.edu/software/mcafee/
- For Employees:https://www.montana.edu/software/mcafeestaff/
Update Antivirus Software
- While having Antivirus software installed is a good start, new viruses are constantly being created, and existing viruses change often to avoid detection by software like McAfee. As a result, McAfee needs to be updated frequently in order to be able to find and block the latest viruses out there.
Scan
- McAfee can catch many things ahead of time while monitoring your computer, but viruses or other malicious programs can still sneak past it and infect your computer. It is therefore important to have it scan your hard drive regularly to look for any files that you may already have.
Use Caution:
- While having Antivirus software installed on your computer is a huge step forward in protecting both your University and personal resources, it should be thought of as a backup plan rather than comprehensive protection. Your actions are the largest factor in the safety of your computer. Always be sure to install patches as soon as they are available so that vulnerabilities in software cannot be exploited, and never download, open or run any email attachments or files online unless you are 100% sure of their validity and reliability.
