Cyber-Safety Basics: Run Anti-Virus Software

Why should you run anti-virus software? Because computer viruses can: Infect your computer through email attachments, IM attachments, file sharing or network traffic. Delete files, format disks, or affect your computer's general performance. Make your computer act in unexpected ways, such as exhibiting strange sounds and images or slow startup and performance. Replicate themselves, communicate with other computers, and provide hackers access to your computer.

To avoid viruses and the problems viruses cause:

• Install anti-virus software on your computer and run daily updates to remove viruses, quarantine and repair infected files, and prevent future viruses. Sophos anti-virus is available for free to all UC Davis students, faculty and staff for use on home and work computers. See http://my.ucdavis.edu/software.
• Periodically, check to see if your anti-virus is up to date by opening your antivirus program and checking the Last updated: date.
• Be aware that viruses can come to you through file sharing, email and IM attachments, freeware, shareware, web sites and infected disks.
• Back up your important data to separate media (such as a CD, an online back up service, flash drive, or a server) and store it in a safe place.