Protecting Your Computer

Computer viruses and malware are software written with the specific purpose of doing harm to computers or stealing personal information. Malware may cause unsolicited pop-up advertisements when you browse the internet. Others, once activated, will look for and transmit passwords or credit card information on your computer! For protection of you and your personal computer, Technology Services recommends that all computers have firewall and antivirus protection!

Firewall Protection

A firewall is a piece of software or hardware device used to keep computers secure when accessing the internet. Not only does a firewall block unwanted traffic, it also helps block malicious software and worms from infecting a computer. Many computer operating systems include a software firewall to protect against such threats. Select from the operating systems below to learn how to enable its firewall.

Note: Some antivirus software may include its own firewall instead of relying on the operating system’s built-in firewall. These may include Norton 360, Kaspersky Total Security, and McAfee Total Protection. Consult with your antivirus support for more details.

Virus Protection

Popular antivirus programs for personal use are Norton Antivirus, Kaspersky and Trend Micro. They offer award-winning protection and can be purchased at any software retail outlet, including our online store. Computers with Microsoft Windows 10 and above can use Microsoft’s built-in and free antivirus software.

For Mac OS X, we recommend ClamXav. While there are fewer viruses on OS X, the popularity of Apple products has led to an increase in viral infections.

All Trinity-owned and operated computers have antivirus and malware protection preloaded. No configuration of these softwares are necessary.

Best Practices to Protect Your Computer

Most computer viruses and malware are transmitted via e-mail attachments or from surfing websites. For safer computing, the following advice should be taken into consideration:

  • Do not open any files attached to an e-mail from an unknown or suspicious source.
  • Do not open an attachment to an e-mail unless you know what it is, even if it comes from someone you know. Some viruses can propagate using someone’s address book.
  • When in doubt, err on the side of caution and delete any suspicious e-mails.
  • Do not download or install any files from a website you are unsure about. Some websites trick people into downloading their antivirus software by saying the computer is infected with a virus.