Computer viruses get into computers:
- via email
- via attachments
- by clicking on infected links (on social media sites or compromised websites)
- from infection by other people's compromised computers
- through the network, especially if you have not kept your software up to date
Anti-virus software doesn't only protect your computer from viruses. It can help prevent transmitting malware to others. Malware is the term for unwanted or rogue dangerous software.
What does anti-virus software do?
Anti-virus software scans a computer's memory and disk drives for viruses. If a virus is found, the anti-virus software will notify the user. It can then clean, delete, or quarantine any infected files. For devices which do not allow scanning (for example iOS) you can use internet protection and VPN options to add protection.
New computer viruses are being created all the time. It is important to keep your anti-virus software up to date so that it is able to recognise them.
Please note that - just like with any other kind of software - there are products that claim to be anti-virus but are actually malicious. Ensure that you only use products from official app stores or from manufacturer's websites, and where there is evidence that the manufacturer has a good reputation. Software downloads found via search engines may not be official and should be avoided. Similarly, adverts and popups may also be misleading and redirect to malicious products.
Anti-virus software
Windows:
Devices using the University central Windows 11 Supported Desktop have an anti-virus product automatically installed, licensed and configured.
Other Windows devices should also have a suitable anti-virus product installed. Windows 11 comes with the Microsoft Defender anti-virus already installed. There is also an opportunity available to staff and students to access Sophos Home anti-virus on personally owned devices (https://infosec.ed.ac.uk/how-to-protect/anti-virus/offer) - by making you aware of the offer, the University is not endorsing or recommending Sophos Home over any other options available to you. You can check what anti-virus is in use from the Windows Security control panel.
Apple Mac:
Macs using the University central Mac Supported Desktop have an antivirus product automatically installed, licensed and configured.
Other Mac devices should have an antivirus product installed by the user. Antivirus products for Macs are available from several vendors. A third party list of vendors may help you decide which one to use - please note that we cannot recommend or promote any particular vendor or product. Please also ensure that your choice of product is appropriate for your use case according to the terms and conditions of the product. There is also an opportunity available to staff and students to access Sophos Home anti-virus on personally owned devices (https://infosec.ed.ac.uk/how-to-protect/anti-virus/offer) - by making you aware of the offer, the University is not endorsing or recommending Sophos Home over any other options available to you.
For iOS devices:
iOS will not allow you to use anti-virus scanning tools, due to how it was created by Apple. However, you can use a third party app for internet protection, including such tools as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to protect your internet usage on unsecure networks. A VPN creates a secure ‘tunnel’ between you and the network you are accessing, as if you were physically connected.
For Linux machines:
These devices are unique in their configurations, so to find your ideal protection for these devices, it is best to do some research online or ask a Linux expert in your local computing support team.