Protect Your Computer
Bulletins
and Alerts
Critical
OS Updates
Virus Software
Help Desk
Faculty Liaisons
|
Computer security attacks can
come in many forms and result in lost data,
corrupted data, computer failures, bizarre
computer behavior, or even stolen personal
information (passwords,
PIN numbers, bank account data, etc.).
No one can
prevent all computer security attacks. However,
you can act responsibly to eliminate most
threats. Take the precautions below to protect
your computer(s)--and those of others on our network.
Follow all steps below on
every computer you own or maintain.
- Heed
all bulletins from ACC. We
work hard to provide information when
needed, but it
is
up to you to follow the instructions
we send. These bulletins reference
a web page with up-to-date information
about the threat.
- Apply
all critical updates needed for your
operating system. If your
computer is properly
configured, these
are available
automatically.
- Apply critical updates to Microsoft Office and other software as needed. Watch for update messages from your software packages, and also from ACC bulletins.
- Be wary of
email bulletins from sources other than
ACC. Many
emails that describe threats to your
computer are
hoaxes. Tech tips from friends and relatives
may not be applicable on our network. Even if
a bulletin seems to come from ACC, it
may be a hoax. Again, any
bulletin ACC sends will reference a page.
- Do not open attachments or click
on web links in messages unless you are
expecting them. Potential
hazards are often distributed through email
or other communication tools,
such AOL's Instant Messenger. The return address on such
messages is often
forged. DO NOT ASSUME
a file or web link is OK because it comes
from someone you know. If
you are suspicious of a message, check with
the sender first.
- Use the current
version of anti-virus software distributed
by ACC. This will provide
automatic updates and other built-in protections
which
may not be available from other anti-virus
software.
- Save frequently while working on
your computer and keep backups of all valuable
document files, emails,
and
bookmarks. Because
you never know what might go
wrong, the best defense is to be ready
to replace
needed files with a version from
before the problem occurred.
More Information
You can get additional software and information
to help you secure your systems from the following
sites:
US-CERT
Established in 2003 to protect the nation's Internet infrastructure, US-CERT coordinates defense against and responses to cyber attacks across the nation. CERT publishes, reliable, current information about known computer threats.
http://www.us-cert.gov/
Microsoft Security Home Page
Definitive information about Microsoft security
alerts on Microsoft's Web Site. http://www.microsoft.com/security/
Virus Hoaxes
Check these sources to see
if emails detailing viruses are legit!
Spyware detection and Removal
Without your knowledge, there is a good
chance you downloaded "spyware" (software
that tracks who you are or where you go)
or "adware" (invokes pop-up boxes
which try to get you to buy stuff). These
packages will help you detect and remove
this unwanted software.
Contact
the Help Desk (students, faculty
and staff) or your computing
liaison (faculty and staff)
if you have any
questions
about securing a
computer, or if you notice any strange or
suspicious behavior on your system.
|
