MacWorld 1997 November/Macworld (1997-11).dmg/System Utilities/Disinfectant/Disinfectant.rsrc/STR#_208.txt

Text File | 1997-07-09 | 6KB | 235 lines

before sending them out to be duplicated and distributed.

• If you sell software, please check your master disks for infections



software you receive.

distributing it. You should also, of course, run Disinfectant on all new

Mac community. Please carefully test all new software before

public domain and shareware software have a special responsibility to the

• Bulletin board operators and other people who maintain and distribute



WDEF virus for details.

recommend deleting the Desktop file if it exists. See the section about the

grant the “make changes” privilege on server root directories. We also

AppleShare server. To avoid these problems, administrators should never

• The WDEF virus can cause serious performance problems if it infects an



backup.

• Back up your servers frequently. Run Disinfectant just before each



server.

• Check all new software with Disinfectant before installing it on a



discussion in the “Special Features” section.

our servers once per week. For more details on scanning servers, see the

scan all the files on the server disk. At Northwestern, we try to check all

disk. This is the only way to guarantee that Disinfectant will be able to

production and restart it using your Virus Tools or emergency startup

are uninfected. For best results, you should take the server out of

• Check server disks frequently with Disinfectant to make certain they



when it is possible.

write-protected folders, but you should make every attempt to do this

own file or folder, it is not always possible to put applications in

spread very rapidly. Since some applications insist on writing to their

protected by a protection INIT. This is one way in which viruses can

will in turn quickly infect any other Macs on the network which are not

infection to the application on the server. If it is a popular application, it

network which accesses the disk and uses the application might spread the

application is in a writable server folder, any infected Mac on the

not have the “Make Changes” privilege. On the other hand, if an

disks. Viruses cannot infect applications if they are in folders which do

• Try to put software in write-protected folders on AppleShare server



the section about the Preferences window for details.

• Consider creating a special “virus scanning station” in your lab. See



the application. Distribute printed copies of the Disinfectant manual.

against them. Give them copies of Disinfectant and teach them how to use

• Educate the people in your organization about viruses and how to protect



have discovered that students love to play with the start-up disks.

protection INIT is still installed and active on all your startup disks. We

that they are uninfected. Also check to make certain that the Disinfectant

• Check all your lab disks frequently with Disinfectant to make certain





• Install the Disinfectant protection INIT on all your lab startup disks.



make certain that their software is free from infection.

viruses. People who sell software also have a special responsibility to

share Macs, or share a Mac network, is a perfect breeding ground for

domain and shareware software. An environment where many people

networks, Mac laboratories, Mac bulletin boards, or collections of public

The remaining recommendations are for people who manage Mac





are clean.

backup. This has the added advantage that it makes certain your backups

One strategy which many people use is to do a full scan just before every



every once in a while will detect any such infections.

installed, it is possible for a virus to infect your hard drives. Doing a scan

start up from a floppy disk which does not have the Disinfectant INIT

just to make certain that they are still uninfected. For example, if you

You should, however, periodically do a full scan of all your hard drives



protection INIT do its job and trust it.

It is also not necessary to scan your hard drives frequently. Let the



before they can spread or cause any damage.

as you have the INIT properly installed, it will detect and block viruses

to scan all floppy disks before using them. This is a waste of time. As long

Macintosh. It is not necessary to scan all new software before using it or

For most people, this is all you have to do to protect your personal



offers an update service.

anti-viral product instead of Disinfectant. Purchase a product which

Disinfectant releases, we recommend that you use a commercial

do not have access to a reliable source of information about new

against known viruses and makes no attempt to detect new viruses. If you

viruses. This is particularly true of Disinfectant, which only protects

versions of anti-viral software are very often ineffective against new

• Keep your anti-viral software up-to-date. This is very important. Old



• Make periodic backups of your hard drive, at least once per week.



for a virus to infect files on a locked floppy.

a copy, and use the copy. Never unlock the original disk. It is impossible

new piece of software, immediately lock the disk on which it came, make

• Keep original software on locked floppies. Use copies. When you obtain a



a minute to install and it can save you much grief.

• If you do nothing else, religiously use the Disinfectant INIT. It only takes



viruses.

minutes per week to effectively protect your Macintosh against the known

should take the problem seriously. Using Disinfectant, it only takes a few

There is no need to panic over the current virus situation. However, you








åRecommendations



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