This is a risk, but not a major risk. Managers of FTP archives do their best to make sure that files on their servers are virus-free, and the vast majority of archives are reliable and safe. Occasionally, however, an infected file may slip through. It is good practice to have up-to-date virus protection software on your computer and to regularly check your disks. The Windows package F-PROT and the Macintosh package Disinfectant are available from the King's FTP server. Note however that Disinfectant is no longer being updated and may not provide you with sufficient protecction from viruses. You may wish to buy a commercial anti-virus package for the Macintosh such as SAM.

You are far more at risk of viruses from floppy disks passed to you by friends and colleagues (which may contain viruses they are unaware of) or from cover mounted disks or CD-ROMs on computer magazines (which are sometimes not checked as carefully as they should be).