Tech Tips - Anti-Virus Information

We strongly encourage you to maintain updated anti-virus software on your system. Without anti-virus software you are very vulnerable to computer viruses, including:

• Infected email attachments
• Infections caused by visiting corrupt websites
• Viruses that attack over the internet (“worms”)
• Spyware that is introduced by virus infections
• Viruses that are spread using macros in application documents

You can usually download a thirty day trial from Symantec(Norton) or McAfee. Grisoft.com offers a free anti-virus software called AVG.

NOTE: anti-virus software is basically worthless unless it is kept up-to-date with the latest virus definitions.

Virus Information:

Many of the sites below will offer immediate information on viruses, hoaxes, and their impact.

Understanding Anti-Virus Software

Cyber Security Alerts from The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) provide timely information about current security issues, vulnerabilities, and exploits. They outline the steps and actions that non-technical home and corporate computer users can take to protect themselves from attack.

Cyber Security Tips describe and offer advice about common security issues.

The CERT® Coordination Center (CERT/CC) is also a center of Internet security expertise.

Virus information from Symantec (Norton), or McAfee.com which also offers a variety of current information including hoaxes and world maps of virus attacks.

E-mail attachments are a major source of viruses. Do not open suspicious attachments, simply delete the e-mail (and empty the trash).