UNHCE Information Technology & Distance Education Blog

As we approach the Holiday Season, we also inevitably see an increase in the spread of computer viruses and hoaxes. Please don't forward any warning messages to anyone. If you think the warning message (hoax) you receive might be real, check it out first at: (http://www.ceinfo.unh.edu/cragin/Admin/nonsecure/ITDE.htm#IT_Six) to see if this is a known hoax. If you still thing it is a legitimate message, please contact the Computer Help Line (862-0351) for follow-up.

You should update your virus software at least twice a week. When you double click on the LiveUpdate shortcut, a dialog box will appear that asks you how you want to connect to the LiveUpdate server. The default setting should be "Internet". If not, click on the arrow to the right and choose "Internet". Click "next". It will find any new updates and install them on your hard drive. If no new updates are available, it will tell you no update is necessary. The more often you update the faster the process will be. When done, click on "finish". Your computer now has the most up to date virus protection.

Windows XP and 2000 computers use the Corporate Client Edition of Norton Anti-virus. With this edition, there will not be a shortcut for LiveUpdate. You should open Norton Anti-Virus (through Start > Programs, or double-click the Shield icon in the system tray in the lower right corner of the desktop, and then click on the LiveUpdate button.

Even though Norton Anti-Virus is running on your computer, you should still practice "safe-computing." Don't open attachments from unknown senders, don't open any attachments that can run a program (e.g., files ending with .exe, .bat, .pif), and always be suspicious of unsolicited e-mail. Many viruses resend themselves from the computers of infected people, so don't think that an attachment is safe, just because you know the sender.

In addition to e-mail, viruses can spread through shared folders on your computer. Any shared folder should be password-protected (for full access or "depends on password" access) or read-only. If you think you might have insecure shared folders on your system, please submit a request to the on-line Computer Support Request form at http://cecf1.unh.edu/itde/staff/itde_staff_home.cfm .