Computer Security

October is Computer Security Awareness Month, but computer security is something to keep in mind all year.  Here are some tips to help you practice smart computer security:

Have an auto-updating Antivirus

The best Antivirus clients are ones that auto-update and have real-time protection, which simply means it is always running in the background looking for problems.  In the residence halls, residents are required to have some form of this Antivirus.  However, if you do not, we offer Symmantec Antivirus free of charge.

Create a strong password

A strong password is at least 8 characters and has a mix of lower and uppercase letters as well as numbers.  Not only have a strong password, but use it!  Make sure when your computer is not in use that it is locked.  Remember that things that happen on your computer are your responsibility, even if you are not the one doing it.

A tip for creating a good password is to create a saying and have the password be that acronym, and swap out some letters for numbers.  For example “I always practice smart computer security!” could become “I4psComps!”.

Watch out for Phishing e-mails and websites

Phishing is the act of trying to acquire your personal information by misrepresentation of a third party. This criminal act will typically look like a credible company and ask that you click on a website and verify your personal information. This information could be, but not limited to: your username, password, and/or credit card information.

Even if you think you know who sent it to you, be cautious; it may be a hacker who got the company's information.  Make sure you know who is sending things to you before you click on it.  This is one of the most common ways to get infected with a virus or spyware.  Just make sure you know what it is before clicking.  If you aren’t sure, don’t click on it. 

Update your software.

Whether it is Windows or Mac OS X updates, it is very important you make sure you are getting the most up-to-date software for your computer.  There are constant patches and security fixes released that will help keep your computer safe.  This is true for other software as well. Keeping all software on your computer up-to-date ensures that you have the best possible version of that software.

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