Virus & Spyware Protection | What to do

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Warnings

Symantec Antivirus Notification Messages

Symantec Antivirus displays a warning when it detects a virus or spyware on your computer. Depending upon the severity of the threat Symantec Anitvirus will undertake a number of steps to protect your PC, from deleting the threat, aquatinting the file or awaiting further action. If you receive a virus or spyware is detected, you should see a window or windows similar to the ones show below.

In particular note the Action taken by Symantec Antivirus client, in this case the virus file was deleted. Close the window. No further action is necessary. In the case of files infected with a virus they are often deleted or quarantined by default.

Spyware and Adware files are quite often more difficult to remove, however they do pose a lesser threat generally than a virus or internet worm. When a threat is detected a notification window may appear to warn clients that the Syamantec Antivirus client has taken some action to protect your computer. These notifications for the most part require no further action. However to remove some more virilent forms of spyware you may be asked to reboot your computer to remove the threat.

Note: If in the event that the virus or spyware notification constantly reappear after seval reboots, please contact your local IT support team, or call the IT Helpdesk for assistance.

Spyware and Adware software often attempts to defeat efforts to remove it by copying itself into system folders and duplicating files so that after removal the spyware/adware still remains on the infected system.

The spyware removal process may involve several reboots of your computer to successfully remove all traces and incidents of the spyware or adware threat on the system. Closing Internet Explorer may also be required to enable Symantec Antivirus to effectively clean the system.

Email Warning

If a message similar to the one shown below is attached to an email message you receive, it means that the sender has sent you a virus but it has been removed by QUT's Border scanning systems.

VIRUS WARNING Message (from mail-router01.qut.edu.au)

The virus WM/Nikita was detected in email attachment [2.2] NIKITA.DOC. The infected attachment has been deleted.

In the above case, the virus was the WM/Nikita virus. You need not worry about being infected by the virus, however you may want to notify the sender that you did not receive their attachment due to a computer virus from their machine.

QUT Virus Response Team

During 2000, it was recognised that a process for dealing with client concerns over virus warnings was needed at QUT. A team was formed late in the year called the QUT Virus Response Team.

The team is made up of staff from the Division of Technology, Information and Learning Support and includes a faculty's technical staff member (Science). The team's role is to assist staff at QUT deal effectively with the constant threat of potentially damaging computer viruses.

If you have any concerns in relation to a virus, or a virus warning, please contact the team by sending an email to virusteam@qut.edu.au. The team will respond with a credible and well informed response

Useful online resources

You are able to check to see if a virus warning is valid by visiting one of the following Web sites.

• Symantec
• Sophos
• Black Stump
• Usenet FAQ

Alternatively you can send an email to virusteam@qut.edu.au

In addition - learn about computer virus myths, hoaxes, urban legends, hysteria, and the implications if you believe in them at www.vmyths.com.