Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware

Anti-Virus

Computer viruses are programs which functions and spreads without the knowledge or cooperation without the user of the computer. Active and current protection from viruses is required for any network connected computer in order to lower the risks of threats from viruses. 

University-owned Computers

For university-owned computers, Sophos Antivirus has been licensed. The Sophos Antivirus clients come pre-installed on evergreen machines. It is recommended that non-Micro Focus OES managed university computers have Sophos Antivirus installed manually. The Anti-Virus client should be configured to receive signature updates for detection of new viruses.   

The following installation guides and downloads are available for Faculty and Staff supported operating systems:

Windows

University of Regina Windows Sophos Client Installation Guide

University of Regina Windows Software Download Page 

Macintosh 

University of Regina Mac Sophos Client Installation Guide

University of Regina Mac Software Download Page 

Personally-owned Computers

Student and personally-owned computers also require Anti-Virus protection. There are several recommended Anti-Virus software products available for at no cost.

Windows

  • Depending on which operating system your computer is running, you can use either Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials to get protection against malicious software and viruses.
  • If your home or personal computer is running Windows 10, you can use Microsoft Windows Defender. Windows Defender is built into the operating system, and does not require a seperate installation. However, it should be configured to ensure it is receving updates and is scanning frequently. For more information, please see the Microsoft Windows Defender website.
  • If your computer is running Windows 7 or earlier, most antivirus systems will not provide protection, as Windows 7 and earlier operating systems are off support.  Please note that Windows 7 is no longer supported and should be retired.  See Sophos for Windows 7 Off Support Advisory.
  • Another good option is Sophos Home which provides a free version of Sophos for Windows.

Note: Windows XP and Windows 7 are no longer supported and should be retired.

Mac

  • Macs can be infected by a growing number of viruses and other malware. You can download the recommended Antivirus for Mac from Sophos, free of charge. Mac OS X 10.6 and up is supported.

Note: This is a free version for Macs which should be used on personal machines only. University machines should continue to use the Sophos Antivirus listed above.

Anti-malware

Malware is short for malicious software. Malware infections stem from a number of vectors such as emails, websites, and downloads. Malware seeks to exploit vulnerabilities to capture personal information, user names and passwords, are used to take control of a computer or gain access to a network.

While Anti-Virus software listed above, has malware detection included, specific Anti-Malware tools can assist. These tools do not replace your Anti-Virus software.

Windows

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Windows. This free Anti-Malware scanner detects and removes malware like worms, Trojans, rootkits, rogues, spyware, and more. 

Microsoft Safety Scanner is a free Anti-Malware utility that checks for and removes malware from computers running most versions of Windows.  

Mac

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac is a free Anti-Malware scanner that detects and removes malware like adware, and known Mac Trojans.

Infections

Once a computer has been infected with a virus, the first step is to run an Anti-Virus program to clean, or disinfect the machine.

If the first option does not eliminate the virus, please contact the IT Support Centre. The IT Support Centre can assist with virus removal.