Desktop Scanning
Symantec Antivirus is part of the QUT Standard Operating
Environment. It is a software utility that helps protect your computer
from computer viruses. As new viruses are created, virus definition files
are released which keep your antivirus software upto date. To learn how
to ensure your definition files are current click here.
Border Scanning
As malicious viruses continue to pose a costly security
threat to large companies around the world, QUT is responding to protect
University computers.
Information Technology Services Director, Neil Thelander,
is aware of the potential danger saying, “The QUT VirusTeam is developing
a variety of solutions to ensure there is more than one layer of virus
protection at QUT.
One such layer is the introduction of what the QUT VirusTeam
is calling ‘border scanning’. Border scanning means that all
email attachments which are sent to or from external email addresses will
be scanned for viruses as they pass through the QUT central email system,”
he said.
The role of the QUT VirusTeam is one that is focused
on assisting staff at QUT deal effectively with the constant threat of
potentially damaging computer viruses. The team is the authorative source
of information about viruses at QUT and develops policy relating to virus
protection software both at the desktop and server levels.
Border scanning has already had a significant and positive
impact at QUT. Over 170,000 email attachments have been scanned during
August with viruses detected and stopped in almost 10 percent of incoming
email while only one half of a percent of all outgoing email attachments
were found to carry a virus.
Faculty of Business Marketing and Communication Officer,
Cathy Kay is one of the many QUT staff members who feel that their computers
are safer now that they have both local desktop protection (Nortons AntiVirus)
and the recently implemented QUT border scanning (Sophos).
“Knowing that QUT is scanning email coming to me
from external email addresses makes me feel a lot safer about opening
my attachments. I also have Norton’s AntiVirus installed and together
they form a great layer of security”, Ms Kay said.
To best protect your computer, ensure that you have Norton’s
AntiVirus installed (ver7.5), check that real-time protection is enabled,
and that the virus definition updates are occurring automatically.
In addition, subscribe to the qut.it-monitor@qut.edu.au
to receive virus warnings and updates, do not open attachments you are
not expecting, and when in doubt ask the QUT VirusTeam at: virusteam@qut.edu.au.
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