Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Computer
With electronic attacks coming from everywhere these days, it’s imperative that students, faculty, and staff at the University of Nevada, Reno take steps to protect their personal data and all the important data that resides on their computers.Some of these are common-sense suggestions, but it never hurts to repeat what we should be doing.
Count Down from 10 to 1
Here’s a David Letterman-style list that counts down from 10 to 1 on the most important things you can do to protect your computer.
- Be safe – Get on the Supported Platform. If your department is part of the University’s Supported Platform, all faculty and staff computers in that department receive automatic Symantec Antivirus and Windows operating system updates. (By following this recommendation, you also take care of suggetions 4, 5, and 9, listed below!) To learn more about the Supported Platform, contact the Help Desk & Support Center at 682-5000 x. 3.
- Lock your computer. To protect your data, lock your computer when it is unattended. To lock, press CTRL+ALT+DEL and select Lock Computer. Always turn off your computer at the end of the day. A computer can’t be hacked when it’s turned off. In addition, back up your data files and test your backups.
- Don’t use P2P file-sharing software. P2P software is inherently insecure because it can “share” the entire contents of your hard drive with the Internet! Using P2P software also undermines the University’s network security. Any computer found using P2P software will be blocked! Read the University's policy on P2P software.
- Don’t use chat or instant messaging (IM) software. Unlike traditional email, which stores and forwards messages, IM networks send messages immediately, usually on a peer-to-server model. This type of IM network can handle millions of users; and the more users, the more attacks on that network.. Although each IM user must have a unique chat name or “handle,” intruders often steal handles to pose as another user. Attacks disrupt legitimate traffic, compromise computers, and spread malicious software (malware), thus putting the University's network at risk.
- Use email responsibly. Don’t “unsubscribe” to an unsolicited email or open an attachment unless you have specifically requested it. “Unsubscribe” is a way for spammers to find out that an email address is legitimate. Instead, just delete it. As for attachments, even if it appears to be from someone you know, don’t open it. Contact that person and ask if they intended to send it to you. If you don’t know the person, delete the email.
- Patch your computer. Keep your computer’s operating system current and updated with the latest patches. If you connect to the Internet with out-of-date, defective software, your computer can be broken into within hours, sometimes minutes. Older operating systems simply can not be kept secure. If you are running a version prior to Windows 2000, upgrade immediately.
- Use and update your antivirus software. Computers without updated antivirus software can be infected with a virus or worm within seconds of connecting to the Internet. The University has purchased a site license for Symantec Antivirus that is free for every Windows or Macintosh computer on campus and on your home computer. For download instructions, go to the Antivirus page. Update your antivirus definitions daily before retrieving your email. Scan all files on your computer weekly. Infected computers must be removed from the network until cleaned.
- Use strong passwords. A good password is a sentence where you select the first letter of each word as your password. It makes no sense to anyone but you. In addition, we recommend that the password have a mix of capitals and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Examples: “Is Econ 220 being offered this semester?” = “IE2bots?” or “Only three more weeks until vacation time!” = O3mwuVt! But, please don’t use these two examples!
Read other good tips for creating strong passwords .
- Change your NetID password regularly, at least once a year. Don’t reuse the same password. Try to have a rotating list of 5 passwords that you use, so you don’t have the same password for everything you do – from your PayPal account to your online subscriptions.
And the Number One Most Important Thing You Can Do ….
- NEVER give your NetID password to anyone. If you suspect someone knows your password, change it immediately! (Click Change Password on the main NetID activation screen.) Please consult the Computing & Network Use Agreement.
