We start another year having survived viruses like SirCam, Magistr, Goner and Nimda. According to McAfee's website 58,000 viruses exist in the wild today, that's 2000 more than last year. They range from annoying to destructive. Since you don't know how a virus might affect your system, you should always be cautious. Due to increased access to Internet and e-mail, more and more people are being affected by viruses at an ever-increasing rate. These viruses can come from business associates, family members or friends who have your e-mail address in their address book. Some viruses follow legitimate e-mails sent to you, while others disguise themselves as legitimate e-mails. With these new viruses constantly coming out, now is a good time to protect your computer from infections.
There are three ways to protect your computer from viruses. The first is to use your best judgement. If you receive an attachment that looks suspicious DON'T OPEN IT!! Contact the UND ITSS Help Center for assistance. It is always easier to get rid of a virus before it is run, than having to clean up after it. When in doubt about an e-mail or attachment, just delete it. Mail can always be re-sent, but lost data is another story. If you must open an attachment don't ever double click it to open. Always use Notepad or Wordpad to open an attachment. If you're a GroupWise user, always right mouse click the attachment and select the View option to look at it. These methods allow you to view attachments without allowing Macro and VBS viruses to run.
The second is to install anti-virus software and keep it current. Check the UND Information Technology Systems and Services web page for the latest news and updates. The anti-virus page is located at: http://www.und.nodak.edu/dept/itss/virus/. McAfee Total Defense is the anti-virus software provided under the HECN software contract for Windows 95 to Windows XP users. This software is free of charge to all UND faculty, staff and students. The anti-virus page provides instructions for Installing and Configuring McAfee Total Defense on your computer. There are also instructions for Auto-Updates, to keep the software current and additional download and notes to assist if you get infected.
The third method consists of staying current with all patches to your Operating System, e-mail programs and browsers. Many viruses use known program problems to infect your computer. By applying all patches you can help prevent your computer from spreading viruses.
No matter how sophisticated the viruses get or how good the anti-virus software is, you are still the best defense for your computer. Use your best judgement, if an e-mail or attachment doesn't seem right get rid of it. Plan ahead by backing up important files on floppies, zip drives or other storage devices on a regular basis. This will make it easier to replace files that might be wiped out by a virus.
If you think a virus was sent to you or think you might be infected or have any questions on your anti-virus software contact the UND Information Technology Systems and Services Help Center. We are staffed and equipped to assist you. The Help Center can be reached at 777-2222 or itss_helpdesk@mail.und.nodak.edu.