Spyware and adware consume computing resources and seriously affect the security, performance and stability of a computer. In order to protect users from the infection of these unwanted programs, the Computing Services Centre (CSC) had included the McAfee's Anti-Spyware module (MASE) in addition to its antivirus products.  The MASE module will detect spyware, adware, remote administration tools, dialers, password crackers, jokes and other potentially unwanted programs.   When it discovers unwanted programs, it will try to clean them, and then put them into the "quarantine" folder if the clean action fails.

For all the Staff LAN PCs which are joined to the CITYUMD domain, the MASE module will be installed automatically by the ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) in Semester B.  The definition file of unwanted programs is integrated with the virus definitions which will be updated automatically everyday.

Prevention is better than cure, since spyware and the like get on a system through deception, even with the MASE installed, users are reminded not to click on unexpected attachments in email or download unknown shareware programs from the Internet. 

For further information, please contact our Service Desk.

References:

1. The Antispyware FAQ

2. McAfee Antispyware Enterprise datasheet

3. McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator

4. HKCERT's Guideline for Prevention of Spyware and other Potentially Unwanted Software
   http://www.hkcert.org/secguide/eng/guideline_for_prevention_of_spyware_
   and_pus(eng).pdf