I Spy

What could possibly be worse than going through the hassles of guarding a school’s computers from spyware attack? Dealing with the consequences of an attack are much harder, more time consuming and a lot more frustrating that preventing the damage in the first place. The latest version of PC Tools Spyware Doctor is a complete protection toolkit that can make it a lot easier and quicker to keep the prying eyes of the Internet away from your school’s computers.

The key is that its ThreatFire technology finds and blocks potential bad software before it becomes a threat while its multi-layered approach can protect against phishing and silent drive-by downloads. The program’s Site Guard keeps kids away from unsavory sites that can hold potential dangers and Cookie Guard gets rid of tracking and ad cookies. Plus, the software’s Idle Mode scans for bad software while the machine isn’t being used, but is smart enough not to do this while a notebook is on battery power.

It works on all recent versions of Windows (including Win 7) and costs $40 for a 3-system license. If all this sounds interesting for your school, there’s a free trial that detects, but doesn’t eliminate, threats.

 

FREEBEE FRIDAY: Cleaning Up a School’s PC Act

The next version of Norton 360 is in the works, and any school or district IT administrator worth his or her pencils ought to try the beta out. It’s free, runs on Windows 7, includes all the suite’s features and will work until slightly after the commercial product comes out. On top of the latest anti-virus protection and optimization that includes the ability to start some programs (like Media Player) after the system has booted up. My favorite is the Web Restore section which lets users back-up their work by saving key files online and restore them in the event of a digital emergency. The beta includes the use of up to 2GB of Web storage space Give it a try to see how well it fits into your technology plan and infrastructure.

School-Wide Safe Surfing

The latest version Norton Internet Security is out and it not only improves protection against hackers and viruses but can make a computer run faster as well. It’s certified to work with the upcoming Windows 7 release and provides three levels of detection based on reputation, heuristics as well as traditional virus signatures. The good news is that it is complete protection against break-ins and malware but uses fewer PC resources (a Mac version is on the way) and can track how new applications affect performance. The program costs $69 and volume discounts are available.

Defending the Classroom

In an age where computer viruses are as common as schoolchildren with runny noses, a two layer defense can help keep malicious software out of the classroom. And, that’s exactly what Linkys is doing with the latest version of the WRT 310N and 610N WiFi routers. The equipment is nothing new, but these 802.11n routers now have Trend Micro’s Home Network Defender antivirus software that incorporates a sophisticated barrier to hackers to keep the school free of malevolent programs. Don’t let the name fool you, the software is powerful and flexible enough for the classroom and small businesses.

Anybody with a WRT 310N or 610N can upgrade its firmware to provide the digital equivalent of a chain link fence around the classroom. Whenever a student or teacher types in a Web address, the router automatically goes to Trend Micro’s online database and then provides access (if the site is clean) or blocks it (if it’s a known source of malware, adware, viruses or contains offensive material). The database is arranged by categories, like social networking or those that discuss risqué topics, and is continually updated as the Web changes and new sites come out. According to Linksys and Trend Micro, the software doesn’t slow the Web connection by more than one percent.

Because building a fence around the digital classroom isn’t enough these days, the package comes with four licenses for Trend Micro’s PC-based Antivirus software; licenses for more computers are available at a discount. For those who already have installed either a WRT 310N or 610N router, the software is free to download and use for a month. The routers cost about $90 and $150, respectively, but the site blocking service costs $60 a year, $50 if you order it in the next two months.

 

Virus Protection, the Mac Way

The next time someone tells you that Macs are inherently safer than PCs and have built-in protection against viruses, adware and break-ins, don’t listen. As is seen by the recent attack on iWork users, the fact of the matter is that Macs – old and new – are just as vulnerable as PCs are to an onslaught from talented, determined and creative hackers. It’s just a matter of numbers because 95 percent of the world’s personal computers use the PC standard, so they’re a bigger target.

That said, it looks like the hacker community has caught up and is now attacking Macs as well as PCs. Linux computers may be next, but that’s another story. Regardless of whether you have a couple Macs in the art department, a computer room full of them or a student body that uses MacBooks, they all need protection.

Unlike with PCs, there aren’t a dozen antivirus programs to choose from. On the other hand, the new iAntiVirus from PC Tools does a good job of protecting a computer while not being in your face all the time. A free download of the full program is available, and the 3.6MB package has all you need to try it out. On the other hand, it only works on OSX versions 10.5 or higher. So, my first step was to upgrade my MacBook Pro’s operating system, which cost $125.

Before it gets down to work, the software goes online to update its library of virus and malware signatures, which it uses to identify dangerous software that might slip on to the system. Next, the program gives the computer a full scan to look for resident viruses. It took 10 minutes and 12 seconds, half as much time as Norton AntiVirus and found two minor adware programs that it missed.

Regardless of whether it’s a virus, spyware or a Trojan program, iAntiVirus can find it and render it harmless to the computer. Whenever the program finds a threat, it stashes it in a quarantine folder that keeps it separate from the rest of the system. Unlike PC virus software, iAntiVirus only goes after threats to Macs, so is much more efficient and fast.
 
On top of periodic full system scans, iAntiVirus watches out for all sorts of threats trying to get in through the backdoor. The program protects in real-time by looking for new threats entering the system, such as a teacher using an infected USB memory key or a kid straying into online danger zones.

Compared to Norton AntiVirus and others, iAntiVirus has a remarkably simple and straight-forward interface. For instance, rather than separate programs to scan the system, examine problematic software and update the program’s malware library, iAntiVirus does it all in one place. This should simplify the life of the school’s teachers and IT staff in the event of a computer emergency.

The interface itself is a model of simplicity. Rather than dozens of choices, there’re two big bars in the center for starting a scan and for making sure that the system is protected. Below are key stats, like the version in use, last scan and a link to the quarantine section. 

In the upper right corner is a button for SmartUpdate, This grabs the most recent software and threat signatures from the PC Tools Web site. While you can choose to have it automatically get updates daily, every other day, weekly or monthly, you can’t set the time of the download so that it occurs when the system isn’t being used, like the middle of the night; it’s a planned upgrade for a future version of the software.

I used iAntiVirus over the course of three weeks and plan to keep an eye on it with a MacBook Pro notebook that’s used everyday for about four hours a day. It found several more viruses when I threw a slew of nasty software at it, and it caught the same items that Norton AV did.

The old saying that if you have to ask the price of something, you can’t afford it doesn’t apply here. To start, you can get and use the program for free. The catch is that it can’t be for business or commercial use, which means that schools are OK to use it for free. The downside is that you don’t get any support, but you do get the needed updates.

On the other hand, it costs only $30 per system to get a full license for the software – about half that of the competition – and each copy can be used to protect three systems. This includes full support and help if something goes wrong. The price drops to $650 for a 50-seat license, making it very economical for an entire school or district.

For those of you who are tired of overpaying for Mac virus software, having to spend hours learning how to use it and waiting for it to finish its scans, iAntiVirus will seem like a breath of fresh air.

A
PC Tools iAntiVirus
$30

    + Excellent price with discount
    + Simple interface
    + Automatic updates
    + Free version

    - Requires OSX 10.5 or higher
    - Can’t set time for automatic updates

A School’s Digital Eye

Your school is covered from door to door with video cameras to prevent vandalism, theft and strangers sneaking onto your campus, but how can you possibly view, manage and preserve all those video streams. Visec Security Software can integrate video from up to eight IP-networked cameras and notify you via cell phone, text message or email when its software motion detector picks up an intruder. The software records all video when motion is detected and can recall it at a moment’s notice. The program costs $150, and a free trial is available.

Proxy Protection

If you think you’ve locked down the school’s network so that kids can’t stray off the online straight and narrow, think again. Kids can slip through your Internet filter by using a proxy server that hides where their Web journeys are leading. It’s an all too common occurrence these days where kids know at least as much – and often more – about bypassing security as administrators do about imposing school computer security. Lightspeed Systems and Vericept have teamed up to keep you at least half a step ahead by blocking this alternate path to dangerous or objectionable sites. By combining Lightspeed’s Total Traffic Control software with Vericept’s Monitor, you’ll always know where your kids are surfing. While Total Traffic Control works by filtering content, protects against spam and viruses as well as reports on who’s doing what online. The Orange Unified School District in Orange, Calif. uses the software to monitor and protect its 33,000 users.