Webshield™ is a part of the McAfee™ virus defense system. It is intended to provide protection from outside virus threats by scanning incoming e-mail before it reaches the mail server. In the event a virus is found on an attachment, the system will attempt to clean the affected files, or delete the files if they cannot be cleaned. A message will also be sent to the sender of the message letting them know that a virus was found and the status of the affected message.

A number of questions have been raised about what the system does and how it will affect their systems and e-mail. Many of these questions are listed and answered below. If you do not find the answer to your question listed, feel free to send a message to virus.info@iit.edu and someone will respond with a solution.

FAQ

Does this replace my need for a virus-scanning program on my computer?
Will this slow down how quickly I receive my mail?
How do I know if a message I receive has an attachment that has been cleaned or deleted by Webshield™?
Will the Webshield™ tell me if I am sending out a virus?

Q. Does this replace my need for a virus-scanning program on my computer?

A. No. Webshield™ is designed to be a supplement to your regular virus-scanning program. Since e-mail that travels internally to IIT does not get scanned, there still exists the possibility that you may receive infected messages. A virus-scanning program on your own computer as well as caution about attachments will work in conjunction with the Webshield™ system to make IIT virus-free.

Q. Will this slow down how quickly I receive my mail?

A. No. The system has been configured to process messages at optimal speed, and there should be no noticeable difference in how quickly mail is received. During the preliminary testing phase (August 20-24), this will be closely monitored to ensure proper delivery of messages.

Q. How do I know if a message I receive has an attachment that has been cleaned or deleted by Webshield™?

A. The system is designed to be transparent to the recipients. Messages that are cleaned by Webshield™ should come in just like messages that never had a virus. Messages that have an attachment deleted happen in cases where the attachments contain only a virus and no otherwise legitimate file. The sender of the message is the only one who receives a message to alert them.

Q. Will the Webshield™ tell me if I am sending out a virus?

A. No. The system only scans incoming mail. You should rely on regular scans from your own desktop virus-scanner to make sure you are not sending out virus-infected files.

Anyone who thinks they may have a virus, or needs assistance in protecting themselves from these viruses, should e-mail
virus.info@iit.edu or call the Client Services Helpline at x75267