Without anti-virus, your computer will struggle to fight off outside attacks on its own. This can lead to your personal information being stolen or your computer being irreversibly damaged. Anti-virus reveals unknown threats and attacks like:
Malicious websites known for phishing (i.e. tricking you into giving up personal information)
Adware that automatically downloads unwanted advertising
Viruses that damage computers and spread to other computers
Spyware that steals your information
Trojan horses (disguised as software) that can modify, block or delete data
It is a common misconception that computers running macOS don’t need anti-virus, but that is not true. Although Windows computers are more commonly targeted because they have a larger user base, Macs are not immune to virus threats.
Information Technology Services recommends that all employees and students install WVU’s free ant-virus software, Sophos, on personally owned computers to ensure protection. Go to freeav.wvu.edu to create your Sophos account. You can download the software on up to three personally-owned devices.
Every Wednesday in October, ITS will be in the Mountainlair to answer questions and provide hands-on assistance installing Sophos, testing password strength and optimizing your use of Duo two-factor authentication.
For real-time service outage updates and other important IT announcements, please follow @WVUITServices on Twitter or “like” WVU Information Technology on Facebook.