Should the computers at the college be left on overnight or over the weekends?
|
-
No. The computers as well as the PRINTERS should be turned OFF. When an employee turns on a computer and proceeds to logon, the computer's Anti-Virus software waits a few minutes before it performs an update. Simply logging off and logging on does not perform this function. What's important to know is that the computers should be turned off at night and turned on in the morning in order to perform the Anti-Virus update.
The boot process, along with the logon process, allows the computer to automatically retrieve DAT files from the college server. DAT files are virus definition files that allow the anti-virus software to recognize viruses and related potentially unwanted code embedded in files. Every time the DAT file is updated more Anti-Virus definitions are installed, thus helping to prevent infection. Another reason to turn off the computers nightly and over the weekend is to allow the server to block an outbreak attacking the Microsoft Operating system occurring during off hours. Many of these attacks attempt to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft's operating system. If the machines are off, the attack cannot touch those computers. This in turn gives the Information Technology Department time to defend against the issue and inform the community of any actions to take; an example might be to install a patch or even NOT turn on the computers until you are notified to do so.
|
Links to other McAfee pages: |
|
| The
College's Automatic Update Process |
What
version engine & dat file am I running? |
| When am I scheduled to be updated next? |
How
do I manually update my files? |
|
|
