Antivirus software will help protect your computer(s) from adware, ransomware, spyware, viruses, and other malware that could impact your system's performance, cause you to lose important data, and potentially compromise your accounts and personal information.
MSU Policy 01.12 states that everyone in the MSU computing community is required to take precautions to protect their computer and the MSU network from viruses.
ITS does not provide antivirus software for personally-owned computers. Please see below for recommendations.
Windows
Windows Security (Defender) - This is built-in to Windows 10/11 and is enabled by default. This solution is available at no additional cost to all Windows users and is recommended by the ITS Security and Compliance office.
macOS
Apple uses a threat intelligence process to protect macOS devices from malware. The process is comprised of three layers intended to prevent the initial execution of malware (Gatekeeper/Notorization), block malware from running (Gatekeeper/Notorization/XProtect), and remediate malware that has executed (Xprotect).
Besides these built-in malware protection systems, there are no current recommendations for third party solutions from the ITS Security and Compliance office. ITS advises users to research solutions on their own and choose a well reviewed product from a reputable vendor.
If you suspect your computer has been infected or compromised by a virus or malware, please take appropriate measures to scan and clean your device with your antivirus software or an antimalware scanner such as Malwarebytes.