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October 30, 2003
Volume LV, Number 9
Serving UNC Wilmington since
Blaster worm virus invades campus computers
Stidents who dcmmbad viruses risk losing their network privileges
Alisha Gore
Staff Writer
The blaster worm virus infil
trated the UNCW computer net
work system in the summer of
2003. As a result, several comput
ers belonging to the university or
to private students were irre
versibly damaged by the virus and
are no longer working.
Students living in residence
halls who use their own personal
computer to access the campus
data network were asked to have
an anti-virus program running on
their computers and to keep their
system updates current.
The blaster worm virus specif
ically attacks computers that run
Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
Students who own computers that
run Windows 2000 or Windows
XP are required to keep the soft
ware on their computers current.
Computers that run programs
prior to Windows 2000, such as
Windows 95 or 98, are not affect
ed by the blaster worm virus.
“If a student fails to do this,
then he/she will risk losing his/her
network privileges,” read a cam
pus-wide email sent out by the
Technology Assistance Center.
The presence of viruses in the
UNCW system has led to an
increase in the demand for com
puter servicing.
“Due to the blaster worm
virus, we are receiving a high
number of calls,” said Ryan
Hardison, a ResNet employee.
Damage caused to a computer
system by viruses can create
numerous problems for students.
The cost of repairing a computer
that has been damaged by a virus
can be expensive; sometimes the
damage done by a virus to a com
puter system is so extensive that a
person will have to purchase
another computer. Students can
also lose important files as a
result of a virus attacking their
computer system.
Signs that a computer may be
infected with a virus include a
computer shutting down unex
pectedly and unusually slow
completion of functions.
“I fix and update regularly, and
our labs have the highest up-time
with minimal down-time,” said
Bill Hill, computer laboratory
coordinator.
It is unwise to keep using an
infected computer because the
longer a virus stays in a comput
er, the more damage it does. Also,
there is the likely chance that an
infected computer will keep
spreading the virus to other com
puters.
“Our network IDs problems,
isolates and then shields the
spread ... then we are notified by
the Web page where the problem
lies. We then repair or re-image
the computer,” Hill said.
Juniors Kristen Gulish and Betsy Kiser supervise the computer lab in
the library. The Blaster worm virus infected computers on the UNCW
campus this past summer, leaving some permanantly damaged.
Students living on-campus were asked to protect their computers
with an anti-virus software.
According to the Technology
Assistance Center, the worst of
the virus attacks from the blaster
worm are over. “For the most
part, everyone on campus has
been quarantined. Our calls for
the viruses are now very few and
far between, compared to
before,” said Rob Flade, TAC
student employee. “But you
never know when another one can
pop up.”
Because viruses seem to attack
without much notice, the TAC
recommends students stay current
with their updates and make sure
there is an anti-virus software
program protecting their comput
er.
Students who believe that their
computer has a virus should con
tact the TAC at 962-4357 or e-
mail tac@uncw.edu.
They can also contact Client
Services by filling out a form
detailing their personal computer
problems or with computers at
UNCW computer labs at
http://www.uncwil.edu/itsd/client/
help.html.
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