Even with the best planning, SCLS tech staff spend some of their time fighting unexpected fires. This week, a faulty antivirus update caused our antivirus software to identify itself (and many other software update components) as malware*. This could almost be funny if it weren't such a hassle and time investment to get things cleaned up and running as they should!
When unexpected problems arise, the Help Desk is often flooded with incoming calls, so we try to get the word out about technology problems by:
- posting information to the SCLS Status Wiki
- sending out email to the appropriate list(s)
- calling libraries (depending on the problem)
The Status Wiki is always the first place we share information about problems because 1) it is accessible to everyone with an internet connection, and 2) updates are available instantly. An email takes at least a few minutes and often longer to go out, depending on how busy the server is, how often the email client checks for new mail, and whether staff have access to their email where they are working. And if we have an unexpected network or email issue, an email may not go out at all.
Thanks to everyone for your patience as we address the fallout from this unexpected (and exasperating) antivirus software problem.
* Ours is not the only AV product to ever issue a bad update. McAfee, TrendMicro, and others have all had a misstep or two over the years. Considering the numbers of updates they put out, though, the percentage of bad ones is really very small.
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