NCTE Service Desk Anti-Virus Advice

The Schools Broadband Network monitors the network for infections and viruses. If a virus or spyware is detected as coming from a device connected to the schools broadband connection in your school your principal will be contacted by the NCTE Service Desk.

What to do if a virus is detected on a device connected to the Schools Broadband Connection (SBN) in your school?
If a virus or spyware has been detected as coming from a device that is or was connected to the Schools Broadband Connection (SBN) in your school the device needs to be located and cleaned. Reference is made to devices because nowadays it is not only PCs that can get on to the internet but mobile phones, playstations etc and these can also get viruses/spyware. Cleaning the device may be done by one or more of the following methods:-
1) Running a good antivirus software package that will locate the offending material and remove it from the device.
2) Running a good antispyware package again that will locate the offending material and remove it from the device.
3) Wiping everything off the device and reinstall the operating system and programs.

The NCTE Service Desk will contact your principal directly to inform you if it detects an infection from a device that is or was connected to the Schools Broadband Connection (SBN) in your school.
The NCTE Service Desk also gives the following advice:

If a virus has not been detected in the last day or two it may be the case that the particular device with the problem has been switched off. Until the infected device is cleaned you should not consider the school free from viruses.

All reports of viruses or spyware should be taken seriously because one device on a network could infect all devices on the network even if the internet is switched off. So just by connecting a device to a network where there is another infected device could infect the new device. If you locate the infected device but have not time to deal immediately with the problem it is recommended that you disconnect this device from your network, turn if off and unplug it. You should also ensure that nobody reconnects the device to your network until the device has been cleaned.

Viruses and spyware can make a device unusable which may mean you could lose important data and have many hours of work to redo. But they can also allow personal information such as names, addresses, banking data etc. to be stolen. By leaving an infected device on your network all your devices including your administration PCs could get infected.

There are many commercially available anti-virus software packages including free versions, however they need to be kept up to date. If a PC gets infected even with the most up-to-date package available the school should review the package they are using and perhaps switch to a better one.

Spyware including Bots/ToxBots is more difficult to eliminate, we currently recommend using Spybot – Search & Destroy available from www.safer-networking.org

If your devices are mainly PCs running Microsoft XP or Vista check out the site http://www.microsoft.com/protect/ for computer security and keeping them up to date. For all your other devices see what their manufactures have to say or the operating system running on it.

NCTE Service Desk servicedesk@ncte.ie
www.ncte.ie