• Make sure your PC is protected from viruses.
• It should get regular system updates: always run updates when prompted, don't ignore them.
• Laptops need to be encrypted:
  • how to encrypt your personal Windows laptop for work use (external link)
  • how to encrypt your personal Mac laptop for work use (Mac support website)

If you connect your phone or tablet to University WiFi or email you need to protect that too: how to protect your phone or tablet.

To make sure your school/department complies with security policy and data protection law, use an IS managed service for University-owned PCs and laptops:

• Staff Managed Desktop service
• Staff Standard Laptop service

Your responsibilities:

• Add PCs and laptops to the UKC domain
• Install current anti-virus:
• PCs or laptops using Windows 10 or Windows 11 and added the the UKC domain will pick up central IT security policies and anti-virus (Windows Defender).
• Macs will need to have ESET installed on them. Follow the installation guide below. 
• Make sure laptops are encrypted:
• University Windows laptops: set up Bitlocker encryption for the entire drive (external link)
• University Mac laptops: use FileVault to encrypt (Mac support link)

Anti-virus for staff laptops/PCs

We recommend Microsoft's System Center Endpoint Protection (SCEP). Windows 10 PCs that have been added to the UKC domain will automatically pick up central IT security policies for Windows Defender anti-virus.

Running this tool will install SCEP and remove any other anti-virus software on the PC or laptop:

1. Click this link if you use Internet Explorer as your web browser: \\ad.kent.ac.uk\NETLOGON\SCEP (or you can Click Start, and paste the link into your computer's search box).
   - from off campus, you'll need to use the VPN to connect to the Kent network first.
2. If asked for a username, enter UKC\ followed by your Kent IT Account username, eg: UKC\abc123.
3. Double-click scepinstall and follow the process on screen (you might be asked to enter your administrator details).
4. Once finished, a Microsoft System Center shield icon will show in the bottom right of your screen near the clock; you might have to click the triangle (upwards arrow) to see it.

Anti-virus for staff Macs: desktops and laptops  

• If you have Microsoft SCEP already installed, you need to replace it with ESET Endpoint Security as per the instructions below.
• If your Mac is new or doesn't have an anti-virus product, install ESET as per the instructions below.
• You need to be on campus (not on the VPN). It will take around 5-10 minutes.

How to install ESET

1. If you have SCEP already on the Mac, leave it installed as the ESET installer will copy settings from it.
• If you have a different anti-virus product installed, you'll need to uninstall it before running the installation for ESET.
2. Log into the Mac as a privileged user.
3. Run the ESET installer from:
   • smb://trafalgar/MacOSX/Eset
     Or from
   • smb://dalton/Mac/Packages/Eset  
4. Make sure the Mac meets the minimum requirements listed by the installer.
5. When prompted as you click through the installer, you need to:  
   • accept the license.
   • disable the ESET LiveGrid feedback system.
   • enable detection of Potentially Unwanted Programs.
   • open system preferences and allow ESET full disk access.
6. Once the installation is complete, open ESET and leave it running for around 5 minutes to allow it to update.

Is ESET the best Mac AV product for Kent?

Feedback requested!

We need your feedback over the next year, to help us decide if ESET is the right Mac AV product for the University.

If you have any recommendations for other enterprise Mac AV solutions, please tell us.

Find out all the ways you can get in touch: