Antivirus Software

Antivirus Software

All computers, including Macs and smartphones, are susceptible to viruses and malware, and Colgate requires that all such devices connecting to the campus network have up-to-date antivirus software installed.

For Windows computers, the pre-installed Microsoft Windows Defender should work just fine for you.  Mac users should find an alternate solution for virus protection.

If You Have a Virus

Antivirus software is imperfect. While it is uncommon to get infected using a computer with the latest patches, updates, and signatures, it could still happen. If you suspect your computer may be infected with malware, scan your system with an appropriate scanning tool, or contact the ITS Service Desk for assistance.

Antivirus Software's Performance Impact

Some antivirus packages can slow performance when configured improperly. To configure your antivirus software properly and improve performance:

1. Never run more than one antivirus package on your computer at the same time.
2. Configure your antivirus to run a full scan of your hard drive on odd hours when you are not using your computer.
3. Colgate runs antivirus on its servers— you do not need to configure your antivirus to scan any mapped shared drives.
4. If you use VMWare, VirtualBox, or another VM product, configure "on-access" scanning to avoid directories which store your virtual hard disk.
5. If you are a heavy user of graphic, movie, or audio editing software, configure your "on-access" scanning to avoid directories where your projects are stored.
6. Always keep your antivirus software updated.