Virus protection
Anti-virus software
UMass Dartmouth policy states that every computer that is connected to the campus network is required to have anti-virus software installed, continuously enabled, and kept up-to-date.
Network and computer security is critical to maintaining the integrity of the university campus network, so any computer found to be infected with a virus will be quarantined from the network until the virus is removed.
If you have an infected computer, contact CITS at 508.999.8900 or x8900.
Students, faculty and staff may download and install a university-licensed copy of Sophos Anti-Virus on their personally-owned computers.
All faculty and staff computers configured by the IT Service Center have anti-virus software installed. Faculty and staff should use the online IT Help form, or contact CITS at 508.999.8900 (x8900) if:
- you do not have anti-virus software installed on your computer
- receive notification that your definitions are out of date
- think your computer may be infected
Personal desktop firewall
The university strongly suggests--but does not require--that you run a personal desktop firewall on your computer. A firewall is a piece of hardware or software that protects your computer from attacks by intruders and hackers. It can also offer some protection from malicious software. (However, it does not protect your computer from viruses or spyware.)
Some operating systems, such as Windows and MacOS come with a built-in firewall, and some anti-virus software packages include a firewall component. The Windows firewall only needs to be specifically configured if you are having a problem with a specific piece of software.