While
more detailed guidance will soon be posted at http://www.gsu.edu/security,
for now you can follow this simple rule of thumb:
Virus
alerts: The purpose of these alerts is to let you know that you
need to install and maintain updated anti virus software on your workstation
at all times. Norton Antivirus is provided to all Georgia State University
users. You can obtain this software at http://nav.gsu.edu. The software
is centrally managed by the IS&T staff and configured to automatically
update at set intervals. Instructions have been provided on scheduling
scans of your system's hard drives.
Other
security alerts: The purpose of security alerts is to let you
know that there is a serious issue with an application that you may
or may not be using on your workstation and a recommended course of
action that you need to follow only if you are running the specific
software application(s) mentioned in the alert. Otherwise, the information
is just to inform you.
If
you are uncertain as to which Windows operating system you are running
on your workstation you can find out by clicking start, settings,
control panel, system. Once there, you will see your Windows Operating
System version listed, as well as the latest service pack level you've
applied to it. To find out if your system is running applications
that are mentioned in security alerts, you can look at control panel,
add/remove programs and see if they are listed there.
In
some cases, an application might not appear under add/remove programs
but there are other ways to determine this information, such as looking
at the applications listed as running when you press control-alt-delete
on a Windows 95/98/ME system or by examining the applications or processes
currently running on your machine in the Windows Task Manager on NT
or 2000 systems.
New
virus and security alerts will be coming out all the time, but there
are three important ways that you can actively protect your system
from harm now-install Norton Antivirus software and schedule regular
scans of your hard drives, do not run or open downloaded files or
emailed attachments from hotmail, AOL, etc., until you save them to
your hard drive and scan for virus infections, and shutdown your system
at night when you depart.