How do you keep your computer safe from virus, spyware, spam, and other system intrusions. There is no one way to protect your computer 100%, but with a combination of resources you can minimize the impact.

There are a variety of tools that you should have installed on your home computer to help protect you from hackers and attacks. You should install

1. Virus protection and keep it current,
2. Anti Spyware/Malware protection,
3. Personal Firewall - especially if you have a DSL or Cable internet connection, and
4. Also recommended - the Google Toolbar for additional protection from popups.

Many of these tools come standard from your Internet Service Provider, but be sure to ask about them and if they do not come standard, be sure to install them yourself.

For WINDOWS

Be sure to download operating system updates on a weekly basis. There should be a link off of your START button to the microsoft updates site. You can set up your updates to be manual or automatic. Whichever, be sure to apply your updates at least once a week.

Once a week, you should go out to the apple site to see if there are any patches for your apple computer OS. An apple computer may seem not to be as vulnerable to attacks as a windows computers, but none the less, it pays to be prudent. So, stay up to date with any patches released by Apple.

What is available - McAfee Virus Protection

As part of our campus site license for virus protection, McAfee antivirus software is available for home use. The license applies to currently enrolled students and current faculty and staff. You have online access to download DAT signature files and engine updates for 12 months . Network Associates, Inc (NAI) offers no support to the user and the ASU HelpDesk offers limited support .

Download of this product certifies that you will abide by the guidelines as stated and other license agreements required by Network Associates upon installation of the software.

1. A student is defined as an individual currently enrolled at Augusta State University .
2. Faculty and staff are defined as individuals who are current employees of Augusta State University .
3. Software will be installed on a computer system owned by the student, faculty, or staff member (or his/her immediate family).
4. It is understood that the product is not guaranteed to work on the person's computer and that NAI does not provide support services.
5. This agreement is good for one year from the date of purchase.

How to Install McAfee Virus Protection

1. Download your copy of McAfee Security Virus protection ver 8.x for Windows or Apple OS X. You will be prompted to enter your JagNET login and password before you download the software.

Windows VISTA OR XP

To download McAfee Anti Virus software for Windows XP or VISTA , CLICK HERE. Save the file to your hard drive. (We recommend you create a separate folder on your hard drive to save the file.) When the download completes, close all open windows.

OR

Apple OS X

To download McAfee Anti Virus software for Apple (OS X), CLICK HERE. Save the file to your hard drive. (We recommend you create a separate folder on your hard drive to save the file.) When the download completes, close all open windows.

2. Extract the zipped files.

3. Reminders:

• Uninstall other virus protection software that may be installed on your computer - This step is CRITICAL. If you do NOT uninstall other virus protection before installing McAfee, your computer system may slow down so much as to make your system extremely difficult to work with.
• Back up your system before installing.
• Reboot your computer so you have a "fresh boot"
• Close all applications before you install.

4. Install the software: Double click the setup.exe file and follow the on screen instructions.

5. Keep your DAT files current - DAT files are usually released by McAfee daily. These files keep your virus protection up to date. It is recommended to set this process to run automatically on a daily basis.

Stealthware, also referred to as spyware or malware, is a program that may come attached to popup ads or "free" software, like screen-savers, that you download. Typically, stealthware programs gather personal information and/or internet preferences and send this information back to a home server. Some spyware will hijack the browser, capture keystrokes, sniff passwords, collect confidential data, piggyback on telecommunications servers, and allow outsiders to take control of your PC.

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you install antispyware software on your computer. Again there are some free products available.

Ad-aware, Microsoft, and Spybot are a few that are currently on the market.

• Spybot Installation Instructions (pdf) - with screen capture pictures
• Spybot Installation Instructions (pdf) - without images - text only
• Removing Spyware from home computers (pdf)

There are a number of free packages on the market. Do an internet search on "personal firewalls" to find the one right for you.

A Browser toolbar, such as the Google toolbar, is another helpful tool. It is another layer that will help control pop ads. We recommend the Google toolbar since it works better with Campus Pipeline.

Do you have important information on your computer that you do NOT want to loose. Then backup the data you want to keep. You can backup data to a CD, DVD, or other external drive. If you have a large amount of data such as music, videos, or pictures, then you may want to invest in an external hard drive. Remember, if you don't back it up, you may loose it!

When files are created, deleted, or modified your hard drive will probably become fragmented. As these files become fragmented, where different pieces of the file are scattered across the hard disk, performance and disk reliability drop. You may see your computer begin to slow down and experience other performance problems. The Disk Defragmenter Utility is designed to reorganize noncontiguous files into contiguous files and optimize their placement on the hard drive.

Some may run this process weekly, but for others, monthly is sufficient.

To access the Disk Defragmenter, go to

Start | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools | Disk Defragmenter

" OnGuardOnline.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information." ( http://www.onguardonline.gov )