New Requirement for Symantec AntiVirus LiveUpdate

In an effort to improve security, reliability, and service delivery of University resources, all Symantec AntiVirus (SAV) programs will be required access Symantec directly in order to receive regular antivirus definition updates. Beginning May 1, 2009, downloads for virus definition updates from the University //chocolate server will no longer be available.

To prepare for this new security process, Northwestern University Information Technology (NUIT) has created a LiveUpdate Switching Tool to immediately assist Windows XP users with the re-configuration of their University-owned machines.

Running the switching tool ensures regular antivirus updates are received directly from the Symantec LiveUpdate service.

Faculty, staff, and students using SAV on Windows XP are encouraged to immediately run the Symantec AntiVirus LiveUpdate Switching Tool.

CAUTION: Users running a managed SAV version on their computers should not run the LiveUpdate Switching Tool. To find out if you are running a managed version of SAV on your machine, follow these steps:

1. Launch Symantec AntiVirus. From the “Start” menu, select “All Programs”. Choose “Symantec Client Security” and then select, “Symantec Antivirus”.

2. From the main SAV window, under “General Information” look for a field called “Parent server”. If that field has a server name in it other than "None" or “Update”, you are running managed SAV.

Mac OS and Windows Vista users should already have the correct Virus Definition Update locations, and no action is required.

NUIT Support Center

Central helpdesk for faculty, staff, and students.
847-491-HELP (4357)
consultant@northwestern.edu