Middle School Causing Spread of Viruses

Okay, so I'm wondering if folks have any ideas how I can help my niece avoid catching another virus. I'm working on having her computer fixed using the malware forum, but I suspect if she doesn't do something differently she will just end up with another virus. I'm actually surprised this is the first major problem given what the school has them do.

Apparently her school is requiring students to turn in their work to teachers using thumb drives. She got the current mess from a teacher who took the thumb drive home and put it in a personal computer that was already having problems. I suspect the school may have some protection on the school computers, but probably not enough. My sister suspects that some of the stuff they have the kids download is already infected.

Any suggestions on how to keep from catching more viruses when the school is requiring the kids to put thumb drives in multiple computers and give them to teachers who put them in not only school computers but also home computers?

My suggestion was that she never stick a USB in her computer, but email herself the files when she needs to work at home and only use the USB in school computers. I think that would help, but it is also very annoying for a teenager to do.

I'm just shocked that the school doesn't realize what they are doing by having these kids share USBs and permitting teachers to take them home. But then again, most schools don't really have IT folks at the building level.

 

Greetings, jellobean...

I wrapped 'Quote' tags around that because it's common sense stuff - not trying to preach to the choir. I like the email idea, but you hit the nail on the head - most teenagers (hell, most adults, too) are too lazy to take proper precautions...

The problem's been around for quite a while. We used to get malware here back when the kids would bring homework floppy disks from school. You're right: the school's 'IT Professional' (read: school librarian) refused to believe that they were spreading malware, even though I practically slapped her in the face with it...some people just can't see the forest for the trees.

:major

 

Excellent advice from, Caliban.
You may like to use the app linked below, to inoculate your USB drive- as well as the PC.
http://majorgeeks.com/Panda_USB_and_AutoRun_Vaccine_d6029.html

Cheers..

 

Multi-drive. One drive is plugged into the student's personal laptop, and then is plugged into the school computer. A second drive is handed into the teacher. The second drive never goes into the student's personal computer. Teach the proper procedure to purge the drive each time it comes back from the teacher.