ESU will be making a change to our anti-virus and threat protection services beginning April 2022. After assessing the features and needed functionality, ESU will begin using Microsoft Defender as our primary tool for securing endpoint devices including Windows PC's and Macs.
Change in Anti-Virus at ESU
Learn More
For Employee Work Computers
For Windows users:
IT will be automatically installing the new Microsoft Defender and removing the old Symantec. You shouldn't notice this process. We will be rolling it out across campus on Thursday, April 7 2022. We will remove Symantec beginning in early May and continuing throughout the month of May.
For Mac users:
IT will be manually installing the new Microsoft Defender at a later date. You do not need to do anything at this time. IT technicians will be contacting your department before coming on site to perform the install of Defender and uninstall of Symantec.
For Home Computers (Employee or Student)
For Windows users:
You will need to uninstall Symantec Endpoint Protection from your personal home computer. It will no longer update to newer versions and will leave you unprotected.
Instructions to Uninstall Symantec from a Personal Windows Computer
If you have Windows 10 or Windows 11, you will have Microsoft's virus and threat protection enabled by default. It will vary by version of Windows, but you should be able to find "Windows Security" on your computer to see the appropriate settings.
If you are currently using the ESU-provided Symantec on your personal home computer, please remove it by May 1, 2022.
For Mac users:
You will need to remove Symantec Endpoint Protection from your personal home computer. It will no longer update to newer versions and will leave you unprotected.
Instructions to Uninstall Symantec from a Personal Mac
If you are currently using the ESU-provided Symantec on your personal home Mac, please remove it by May 1, 2022.
Important Dates
April 5 - Look for updates via email
April 7 - Deployment begins to ESU-owned, on campus computers
Throughout May 2022 - Symantec will be uninstalled from ESU-owned, on campus computers
May 1 - Symantec must be removed from personal, home computers (student or employee)