• VIRUS INFORMATION

    Viruses have become one of the top concerns in the computer industry. A virus is a computer program that has been written to cause damage or wreak havoc in computer systems and networks.

    The district uses a comprehensive antivirus and anti-spyware security solution to monitor for virus activity. This allows remote installation and upgrades to the virus software to keep it updated with the latest virus definitions.

     

    SPAM/SPYWARE

    Spam is classified as unwanted unsolicited email received via the Internet. Spam can also be used to propagate viruses, worms, and spyware on personal computers. The district utilizes a comprehensive spam/spyware mail security solution. It provides protection outside our email system to insure it never has an adverse affect on our email system. Over 90% of the district’s email traffic is classified as SPAM.

    Spyware is software that is used to gain information from users without their knowledge. The software is usually installed on a computer while the user is browsing the Internet. Most commonly it is installed when a user responds to a pop up window allowing the software to be installed.

    Some versions of this software track Internet usage and browsing patterns to help direct marketing efforts to specific users.

    One type of spyware known as a keylogger tracks user’s keystrokes and reports them back to a home website. The authors can then collect key stroke data and gain unauthorized access to sites the end user has accessed using the stolen information gathered from the keylogger.