Install and regularly update anti-virus software

last revision August 22, 2005

Stanford spends thousands of dollars every year to site-license the Symantec (formerly Norton) Anti-Virus program for use on all campus computers running all versions of Windows (and Macintosh). All you have to do is download and install the program from the Essential Stanford Software web site, and then download and install the latest Symantec virus definitions file which is automatically updated daily on pangea. Finally, you need to turn on the LiveUpdate feature to automatically download new virus definitions from Symantec's web site as they are made available.

Symantec Anti-Virus and the LiveUpdate feature have been correctly installed and configured in the default installation of Petroleum Engineering department supplied computers. If a Petroleum Engineering user never makes any changes to the Symantec settings, then he can skip the rest of this section.

Symantec Anti-Virus can monitor file activity on the system, so that any attempt to create a new file is checked to make sure the new file does not contain any known computer viruses. You should configure this feature to at least monitor all file activity in the directories that you normally use for storing email and downloading files from the internet. You can monitor all file activity everywhere on your disk for increased protection, although many people find that this makes their computer seem sluggish.

You should also configure Symantec Anti-Virus to do a regular complete scan of all files on your system, say once per week during lunch.

Finally, configure the LiveUpdate feature in Symantec Anti-Virus to automatically check for and download new virus definition files from Symantec's web site on a daily basis.

Please submit a HelpSU request if you need help installing or configuring Symantec Anti-Virus on your Stanford computer.

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