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Pest Patrol
Preventative maintenance is the best way to make sure your internet connection doesn't get shut off. Not only is it unsafe to work on a computer that has been compromised, but eventually your computer will be taken off the school's network.
Surfing the internet is not safe. Even if you are the most careful of surfers, you inevitably end up with adware or spyware on your computer. Many times, you won't know anything is on there. Nothing is concretely wrong, your computer may just run slower, or take longer to boot.
File sharing programs typically install the more harmful types of spyware. Not only is file sharing a potential copyright infringement, but the programs available for file sharing are bad for your computer.
It is imperative you not only have Norton Anti Virus on your machine, but that you run some type of spyware or adware removal. Links to download Norton Anti Virus, Ad-Aware and Spy-Bot are available at http://www.barnard.edu/resnet/downloads.html.
Another program, called Pest Patrol, is available through the Columbia ACIS Security page, located at http://www.columbia.edu/acis/security/. Each single user license costs $13.48, a significant reduction from the normal single home user rate of $39.95.
Pest Patrol is a valuable tool that bridges the gap between Anti Virus software and spyware removal tools. It compliments your existing software, and can be run along with Norton Anti Virus and any firewall software.