New Virus Protection for Clerk Computers

[bretbassett]

Windows Defender will immediately replace Sophos as the virus protection software on clerk computers. It has been determined that Windows Defender is the best solution based on risk and cost to protect clerk computers. The Church ICS department will turn off Sophos and turn on Windows Defender beginning the weekend of March 8, 2021. We don’t expect any impact on users other than a possible need for a reboot. However If you experience any problems, you may need to remove Sophos manually. The instructions to remove Sophos manually are attached to this post. Please contact the GSD if you have any problems removing Sophos.

On a related note, this will marginally increase risk on clerk computers that are still using Windows 7. Please work with your local facilities manager to replace any remaining Windows 7 computers as soon as possible.

[russellhltn]

That could help speed up the computer. I've long suspected Sophos is a significant drain on resources when the computer boots.

[Biggles]

That could help speed up the computer. I've long suspected Sophos is a significant drain on resources when the computer boots.

I also concur that Sophos is a resource hogger. The impact however was significantly reduced when we got replacement computers fitted with SSD’s.

[russellhltn]

I may not wait for the automation to do it's job.

[bretbassett]

Also - please note that if you need additional support on Windows Defender, please review Microsoft's documentation before contacting the GSD.
Thanks
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/window ... -antivirus

[russellhltn]

I decided to give this a try. I wasn't able to stop/disable one of the services. I moved on to the next step with the Install & Uninstall Troubleshooter Tool, but it can only do one item at a time and takes about 10 minutes for each cycle as it does it's checking.

Bottom line, if you plan on the manual procedure, I'd budget a couple of hours until you get a better feel about how it will go for you.

[lajackson]

I figured I would just let the Church ICS Department do it.

[dnslynn]

Was this announcement made via e-mail to all STSs, or is it just posted here?

[lajackson]

The only place I remember seeing anything about it is here. That is why I have not lost any sleep over it.

I do appreciate knowing what is going on behind the scenes because it often explains a lot. But I stopped stressing over this stuff after my first call to the help desk when we began installing MLS in our meetinghouses many years ago. The installation instructions were not correct, and they made a conscious decision not to correct them, but rather to just let anyone who did not figure it out call for help. I thought I figured it out and called to verify I had done it correctly, especially since I was not certain and it had to due with the financial side of MLS.

I got another congratulatory nickel for my then growing and now massive retirement fund. (Seasoned veterans of clerkdom will understand the reference.)

[bartgrant]

It's too bad that we have to stumble across these items on accident. The original post says "beginning March 8, 2021". Apparently it did not happen. Sophos is still on the clerk computers in my stake.