Disinfect and Protect:

Free antivirus and other tools for safe computing

It is critical that you follow all of the steps on this Disinfect & Protect web site. If you plan to bring your computer to campus, you must follow these instructions before you may connect to the Simmons network. Some of these tools take quite a while to run, but once you get the tool started you can leave your machine churning for the estimated amount of time indicated.

(Faculty and staff:  although these pages were written for students, you and your own computer face the same risks, and we encourage you to use this site to disinfect and protect your own computer.  Your Simmons computer has already been protected.)

If your computer is overtaken by adware, spyware, a virus, or a worm, it may become impossible to complete your homework or send email to your friends. In fact, if you live on-campus, Technology may disconnect your infected computer because of its effect on the Simmons network; you will be without your computer's Internet connection, until the Help Desk verifies that your computer is clean.

To receive help from Technology staff, students must have antivirus software installed, and operating systems and virus definitions that are up-to-date. Simmons College provides antivirus software to you for free, through this Disinfect & Protect web site. Follow all of the instructions on this Disinfect & Protect web site, and your machine will be clean, and protected from a variety of possible problems in the future!

To begin, please select your operating system:

Please note: in order to receive support from Technology at Simmons College, your computer must be running Windows XP or Macintosh OS X. To determine what operating system you're using:

  • If the computer is a Dell, Gateway, HP, Sony, or Toshiba brand, right-click on My Computer, and choose Properties. Some of the tools on this Disinfect & Protect web site will work with earlier versions of Windows.
  • If the computer is an Apple brand, click on the Apple menu, and choose About This Mac, or About This Computer. None of the tools on this Disinfect & Protect web site will work with earlier versions of Mac OS.