Anti–Virus Software
Information Technology provides Symantec Anti–Virus Corporate Edition software for no additional charge to students, faculty and staff. This software protects your computer from being attacked or compromised by unwanted items like viruses, spam, and other forms of unwanted intrusion. Visit the Software Downloads page and sign in using your CSUN Username and Password. After signing in you will see Symantec Anti–Virus Corporate Edition available for downloading to a PC or Mac.
For details on installing and configuring the software, please review the installation and configuration guides for PC or Macs, or you may contact the IT Help Center for further assistance.
Firewalls
Personal Firewalls
There are many personal firewalls available for both Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. A personal firewall is a software application used to protect a single Internet–connected computer from intruders. Personal firewall protection is especially useful for users with DSL or cable modem connections to the Internet. The firewall controls Internet connections to and from your computer, filtering inbound and outbound traffic, and alerting you if there is a security issue. The following is a list of well known firewall software packages:
Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall watches inbound connections and ignores outbound traffic. This option will not protect against data loss if a malicious software program is installed. You may want to purchase a third party firewall software package in addition to the Microsoft option.
For more information on Windows XP Firewall check the Microsoft website.
Before selecting a firewall software package you can research available options and features. You can check resources such as, Home PC Firewall Guide.
Spyware
Spyware or tracking software is any technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge. People use this technology to collect information about users and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties. Spyware can be installed inadvertently as a virus or as the result of installing a new program.
Spyware can monitor keystrokes, scan files on your hard drive, snoop on other software applications, read cookies, and install other spyware programs, etc. In addition to the privacy concerns, spyware can also use up your computer's resources and network bandwidth, causing your computer and network connection to be unstable or crash.
Software programs that help combat spyware and tracking software that you can install are Spybot–S&D or Lavasoft Ad–aware.
