The OIT Virus Notification Program --> -->

The OIT Virus Notification Program: What to do if Infected

One of the goals of the Virus Notification Program (VNP) is to help you deal with any computer viruses that may have infected your computer. Using the resources available on this website, there is a very good chance that you can remove the virus that is on your computer.

Because all viruses are different, there is no one set of instructions you can follow to deal with a computer virus. Listed below is the general approach you should take in dealing with a virus:

First, Try to Identify the Virus: Every virus that has ever been identified by anti-virus companies has a web page that says how the virus works and usually how to remove it. The following resources are available to help you identify the virus (try to use them in the order they are presented here):

1. The VNP Virus Alerts and Virus Security News web page: This web page lists new and past viruses that nearly affected or did affect the university. It contains descriptions of how the viruses are transmitted, what they do to your computer, and how you can remove them. If you find a description in the virus alerts list that seems to match up with the virus on your computer, click on the web link for that alert to read more about it.
2. The Symantec AntiVirus Research Center Online Encyclopedia or the McAfee Virus Information Search Center: Try using these virus search engines to locate information about the virus on your computer. The search engine works best if you know the name of the virus, but the Symantec search can sometimes find virus information based on other "symptom" information about the virus, like the subject line of the email message that contained the virus or the error message the virus causes on the computer (like real virues, different computer viruses produce different "symptoms")

Once the Virus is Identified, Follow Any Removal Instructions: The same web page that tells you what the virus is and how it works usually tells you how to remove it.

1. In some cases, you will be given a list of step-by-step instructions to follow. Follow those instructions to remove the virus and repair any damage done by the virus.
2. In other cases, you will be told that the best thing to do is to run anti-virus software. If that is the case, and you have anti-virus software on your computer, make sure the software is up-to-date and run it to remove the virus and clean infected files. If you do not have anti-virus software on your computer, or you don't know how to update your anti-virus software, you will want to get the anti-virus software provided by the University of Maryland to all university faculty, staff, and students. This website has full instructions for obtaining the software, installing it, upgrading it, and updating it. All of this information is available by clicking here.

After Removing the Virus, Protect the Computer From Future Viruses: Once you have removed the virus, now would be a good time to make sure your computer is protected from future viruses by doing the following:

1. Making sure the anti-virus software on your computer is up-to-date (if you did not do this in an earlier step). If you do not have anti-virus software on your computer, or you don't know how to update your anti-virus software, you will want to get the anti-virus software provided by the University of Maryland to all university faculty, staff, and students. This website has full instructions for obtaining the software, installing it, upgrading it, and updating it. All of this information is available by clicking here.
2. Read the VNP web page about other things you can do to protect your computer from viruses, such as changing the security settings in your email program and being careful about opening email messages
3. Sign up to receive virus alerts via email whenever a computer virus poses a threat to the university community.

To learn how to sign up to receive alerts via e-mail about any new viruses that threaten the university, click on the Virus Notification Page.

To return to the main VNP web page, click on the the Virus Notification Program FAQ.