the Informer

Due to an increase in viruses on campus, university officials are asking students to use protection on their computers.
Computer viruses are running rampant on the Internet and are targetting popular sites like Facebook. These viruses can slow down the campus’ network and cause damage to students’ computers.

Abbey Ortlieb, a staff member in the Computer Support Center, has seen it all. “We get computers that are so littered with stuff that they are unusable,” she said.

Students who illegally download things like music and movies run the risk of downloading a computer virus. This can cause the university to shut down a student’s wireless connection.

Other viruses have been attached to Facebook messages said to be a video from a friend. Ortlieb suggests that students contact their friends to see if they have sent something. “Unless your friend sends you videos a lot don’t click on it,” she said.

If a virus is added to your hard drive students may want to back up their hard drive using an external device, but Ortlieb suggests that students do not try to remove the virus themselves.

“If students back up their computer to an external hard drive the virus may spread to the hard drive. Students shouldn’t try to do it themselves; have a professional do it,” she said.

“Students are required to have anti-virus software on their computer in order to be connected to the campus network,” said Sara Russell of the campus’ computer support staff. “The university is offering students with free Symantic’s Norton Anti-Virus software.”

Students who would like to have the software added to their computer can go to the Computer Support Center in the Computer Center building and have it uploaded to their computers.

“You never want more than one anti-virus program on your computer. They can conflict with each other and let in malware,” Ortlieb added.

Some students may have heard the myth that Apple computers don’t get viruses. “That is a lie,” said Russell.
“Right now there are not as many viruses for Macs, but Mac viruses are really bad,” she said.

Ortlieb added that they were once given a Mac that was infected with a Trojan virus that took over everything.
The campus also has strict rules about music downloads over the campus network. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act gives the R.I.A.A. the right to prosecute individuals who download copyrighted material illegally.

This law gives industry officials the right to sue individuals for up to $150,000 for each copyright infringement.
The university’s policy is to shut off campus access to anyone found to be downloading or uploading copyrighted material.

“If the music industry contacts the university to notify them of someone using copyrighted material, the offender’s Internet port will be closed,” said Russell. “The first offense would be for two weeks, the second offence would be for four weeks and a third offence would become judicial.”

There is a list of sites that are legal-free sites such as mp3.com, Pandora, Ruckus and Spiral Frog and legal-pay sites such as Amazon, iTunes, Napster, Netflix and Rhapsody, but the use of any illegal sites is a violation of federal, state and the university’s own regulations.

According to the university’s “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act,” 356 University of Hartford students have been caught so far.

Students using the Internet need to be careful about the sites that they visit and understand file-sharing laws that pertain to copyrighted material.

“If you use the Internet you are subject to viruses; even out of curiosity don’t click on links if you don’t know where it came from, use a level of caution,” said Ortlieb. “Using the Internet requires you to have common sense.”
For more information on campus Internet rules or computer support contact the Computer Support Center, room C113 in the Computer Center building.

Students and faculty can call the center at 860-768-5999 or at uhaweb.hartford.edu/gradorien/computersupportcenter.html.