User Guide

User’s Guide xxi
Preface
How to protect yourself
Dr Solomon’s Anti-Virus already gives you an important bulwark against
infection and damage to your data, but anti-virus software is only one part of
thesecuritymeasuresyoushouldtaketoprotectyourself.Anti-virussoftware,
moreover,isonlyasgoodasitslatestupdate.Becauseasmanyas200to300
viruses and variants appear each month, the virus definition (.DAT) files that
enable Dr Solomon’s software to detect and remove viruses can get quickly
outdated. If you have not updated the files that originally came with your
software,youcouldriskinfectionfromnewlyemergingviruses.DrSolomon’s
Software has, however, assembled the world’s largest and most experienced
anti-virus research staff in its Anti-Virus Emergency Response Team
(AVERT)*. This means thatthe files youneed to combatnewviruses appearas
soon as—and often before—you need them.
Most other security measures are common sense—checking disks youreceive
from unknown or questionable sources, either with anti-virus software or
some kind of verification utility, is always a good idea. Malicious
programmers have gone so far as to mimic the programs you trust to guard
your computer, pasting a familiar face on software with a less-than-friendly
purpose. Neither Dr Solomon’s nor any other anti-virus software, however,
can detect when someone substitutes an as-yet unidentified Trojan horse or
other malicious program for one of your favorite shareware or commercial
utilities—that is, until after the fact.
Web and Internet access poses its own risks. Dr Solomon’s Anti-Virus* gives
you the ability to block dangerous web sites so that users can’t inadvertently
download malicious software from known hazards; it also catches hostile
objects that get downloaded anyway. But having atop-notch firewall in place
to protect your network and implementing other network security measures
is a necessity when unscrupulous attackers can penetrate your network from
nearly any point on the globe, whether to steal sensitive data or implant
malicious code.Youshouldalso make sure that your network isnotaccessible
to unauthorized users, and that you have an adequate training program in
place to teach and enforce security standards. To learn about the origin,
behavior and other characteristics of particular viruses, consult the Virus
Information Library maintained on the AVERT website.
Dr Solomon’s Software can provide you with other powerful software in the
Active Virus Defense* (AVD) and Total Virus Defense (TVD) suites, the most
comprehensive anti-virus solutions available. Related companies within the
NetworkAssociatesfamilyprovideothertechnologiesthatalsohelptoprotect
your network, including the PGP Security CyberCop product line, and the
Sniffer Technologies network monitoring product suite. Contact your
Network Associates representative, or visit the Network Associates website,
to find out how to enlist the power of these security solutions on your side.