Carousel Volume 2 #1/carousel.iso/mactosh/virus/disinfec.sit/Disinfectant.rsrc/STR#_204.txt

Text File | 1989-08-04 | 8KB | 283 lines

before sending them out to be duplicated and distributed.

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



Disinfectant on all new software you receive.

new software in an isolated environment. You should also, of course, run

distributing it. See the earlier paragraph in this section on how to test

Mac community. Please carefully test all new software before

public domain and shareware software have a special responsibility to the

ΓÇó  Bulletin board operators and other people who maintain and distribute



backup.

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



server.

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



section.

details on scanning servers, see the discussion in the ΓÇ£Special FeaturesΓÇ¥

Northwestern, we try to check all our servers once a week. For more

that Disinfectant will be able to scan all the files on the server disk. At

Disinfectant from the virus tools disk. This is the only way to guarantee

production, start up the server from your virus tools disk, and run

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

ΓÇó  Check server disks frequently with Disinfectant to make certain they



but you should make every attempt to do this when it is possible.

it is not always possible to put applications in write-protected folders,

rapidly. Since some programs insist on writing to their own file or folder,

GateKeeper-protected. This is one way in which viruses can spread very

quickly infect any other Macs on the network which are not Vaccine or

application on the server. If it is a popular application, it will in turn

the disk and uses the application might spread the infection to the

writable server folder, any infected Mac on the network that accesses

the ΓÇ£Make ChangesΓÇ¥ privilege. On the other hand, if an application is in a

Viruses cannot infect applications if they are in folders which do not have

ΓÇó  Try to put software in write-protected folders on server disks.



station is a reasonable alternative to this policy.

necessary to implement them at Northwestern. A special virus-checking

uninfected. These measures are quite drastic, and we have not found it

attendant has scanned them with Disinfectant to make certain they are

an alternative, you could permit other disks, but only after a lab

caused by students bringing in and using their own infected software. As

have discovered that many of the infestations we have experienced were

disks in your labs other than the ones you supply. At Northwestern, we

ΓÇó  You might consider prohibiting the use of any start-up or application



of the Mac for anything but checking for viruses.

repaired. You can even remove the mouse and keyboard to discourage use

lab can simply insert their floppies to have them checked or scanned and

the Scan or Disinfect button to begin auto-floppy scanning. Users of your

from your virus tools disk. Hold down the Command key while clicking on

drive. Start up the Mac from your virus tools disk and run Disinfectant

nothing but checking for viruses. Use any Mac with an 800K floppy disk

ΓÇó  If you wish, you can establish a special Mac in your lab to be used for



longer appear in the control panel.

or some other file editing tool. Vaccine will still be active, but it will no

Vaccine is to change the file type from ΓÇ£cdevΓÇ¥ to ΓÇ£INIT,ΓÇ¥ using ResEdit

ΓÇó  Another trick for making it more difficult for students to turn off



scheme is far from perfect, of course, but it helps.

unless they are smart enough to realize they must unlock the file. This

change VaccineΓÇÖs settings (e.g., try to turn it off) will not be able to do it,

the Get Info command and check the ΓÇ£LockedΓÇ¥ box. People who try to

ΓÇó  Try locking all the copies of Vaccine on all your lab start-up disks. Use



your labs to this effect.

it for a virus, or have it checked by somebody on your staff. Post signs in

immediately when they try to run it, they should use Disinfectant to check

ΓÇó  Make certain that everyone knows that if a program bombs or hangs



teach them how to use the programs.

protect against them. Give them copies of Vaccine and Disinfectant and

ΓÇó  Educate the people in your organization about viruses and how to



Northwestern University we try to check our lab disks once a week.

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

GateKeeper is still installed and active on all your start-up disks. We have

that they are uninfected. Also check to make certain that Vaccine or

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



ΓÇó  Install Vaccine or GateKeeper on all your lab start-up disks.



their software is free from infection.

who sell software also have a special responsibility to make certain that

or share a Mac network, is a perfect breeding ground for viruses. People

causing great problems. An environment where many people share Macs,

important in university environments, where viruses are currently

domain and shareware software. These recommendations are especially

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

The remaining recommendations are for people who manage Mac



technique will not detect an ANTI infection.

file. Also, the ANTI virus does not modify the system file, so this

AppleΓÇÖs Font/DA Mover makes legitimate modifications to the System

you cannot be certain you have a virus if this size increase occurs. E.g.,

Unfortunately, some programs modify the system file legitimately, so



infections.

increased, you may have a virus. Use Disinfectant to check the disk for

the program, check the size of the System file again. If its size has

run the new program and test it, observing its behavior. When you quit

check the size of the System file. Record its size on a piece of paper. Then

drag it to the trash to unmount it. Use the FinderΓÇÖs Get Info command to

of System and Finder. Start up from this disk. If you have a hard drive,

environment. Copy the new program to a blank floppy, along with copies

some simple Trojan horses, by running new software first in an isolated

ΓÇó  You can also protect your system against some viruses, and against



shipped with virus infections.

have been several cases in which commercial software was accidentally

commercial programs that you purchase from a reputable store. There

shareware, and freeware. You should not even trust shrink-wrapped

Disinfectant. This rule applies to all new softwareΓÇöcommercial programs,

ΓÇó  Before using new software, check it for possible infections with



infected.

not become infected, and to make certain your system has not become

ΓÇó  Run Disinfectant just before each backup to make certain the backups do



keep at least two sets of each.

switch back to set A, and so on. If you do both partial and full backups,

tapes. E.g., back up to set A, then on your next backup use set B, then

ΓÇó  Make periodic backups. Use more than one set of backup floppies or



virus to infect files on a locked floppy.

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

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

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



take a minute to install, and they can save you much grief.

ΓÇó  If you do nothing else, use Vaccine or GateKeeper religiously. They only



take the problem seriously.

There is no need to panic over the current virus situation, but you should



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