In a networked environment such as Saint Mary's College (including BelleNet), the ease with which a malicious software (such as viruses) can spread from computer to computer is greatly multiplied, as is its potential for damage. Instead of affecting just your machine, malware could spread to hundreds of computers all over campus, and could even bring down our campus network.

Recognizing this threat, the College provides security software free of cost to all students, faculty, and staff for their personally-owned computers.

Bitdefender can be downloaded from the Internet, so it can be installed on personally-owned computers even during breaks and when students are studying abroad.

Any student who connects her computer to the Saint Mary's network (BelleNet) must have current security software installed on it. Failure to have current virus/malware protection software on your computer will result in the loss of its network access privileges.

If a student prefers to install (and potentially pay for) another virus/malware protection software package and keep it up to date, ResNet does not mind. However, if a student's computer becomes infected with a virus when it has another security software product installed, it is ResNet's policy to remove the other security software and install the supported Bitdefender security software on that computer. The student must them keep the provided Bitdefender security software installed and up to date on her personal computer. Failure to do so may result in a loss of network access.

Computers that are blocked from the campus network and Internet because it is infected will not be re-enabled until ResNet confirms that the infection has been removed, that the supported Bitdefender security software has been installed and set to automatically update its virus definition files, and that the computer has been configured to automatically download and install any necessary operating system updates.