Secure Your Computer

I. Update your Operating System

No operating system is perfect, and all of them, if not fully patched, are at risk of being exploited by hackers and viruses. On the other hand, a fully patched operating system can be the best first line of defense. An unpatched machine on the network is harmful not only to its user but to other computers on the network. For that reason, we require all machines on the network to have the latest patches as outlined in our Acceptable Use Policy.

To download updates immediately, go to Microsoft Windows Update for PCs, or Apple Support for Mac OS. We also recommend setting up your computer to automatically download and install updates as they are made available.

For Windows XP

  1. Right-click on My Computer, select Properties and click on the Automatic Updates tab
  2. Check Keep my computer up-to-date...
  3. Check one of the settings: we recommend Download the updates automatically...

For Windows 2000

  1. Go to Start, then Settings, then Control Panel, and double click on Automatic Updates.
  2. Check Keep my computer up-to-date...
  3. Check one of the settings: we recommend Automatically download updates...

For Mac OS X

  1. Go to Apple, then System Preferences, and click on Software Update.
  2. Check Check for updates. We recommend checking Weekly.
  3. We also recommend checking Download important updates in the background.

II. Set complex passwords on all your accounts.

This applies to any passwords you use to logon to your computer, including the Administrator password. To create complex passwords, use numbers (1,4,5), UPPER and lower case letters (a,B,g,Y) and symbols ($, !, >). DO NOT use common names or words.

Good examples of complex passwords: $aBoKa.e, P(Fi.aRa, W@Ji}oGu, or aBcE3!>6

Here's How:

For Windows: Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Users and Passwords (2000) or User Accounts (XP)

Windows 2000

  1. Double Click on each account, including the Administrator
  2. Enter new password

Windows XP Home

  1. For each account listed, click on it, then choose "Create Password"
  2. Type in and remember your new password

Windows XP Pro

  1. Log on as Administrator*
  2. For each account listed, click on it, then choose "Create Password"
  3. Type in and remember your new password

* Note : To log in as the Administrator, go to Start and Log Off your current account. Then at the Welcome screen, hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice, and in the box that appears, type "Administrator" for the username. If the Administrator password has not been set, leave the password field blank.

For Macs:

Mac OS X

  1. Go to Apple -> System Preferences -> Accounts
  2. Click on your account.
  3. Type in and remember your new password

III. Sharing - Don't share access to your computer to strangers.

Your computer may allow other users to access files and folders on your computer and devices connected to your computer through file sharing. This ability to share files can be used to infect your computer with a virus or worm. By default, Windows XP allows for sharing. To check if your hard drives are shared go to "My Computer" and look at your hard drive icons. If any of them have an icon with a hand holding it the drive is shared.

driveview

Above: an example of a shared hard drive's icon.

If any of your drives are shared you will want to disable the share by right-clicking the drive and choosing "Sharing and Security":

context

Above: choose "Sharing and Security" to unshare a drive.

When you choose "Sharing and Security" a window will come up where you will want to uncheck "Share this folder on the network":

share

Above: the contents of this drive have been shared.

Once you have unchecked "Share this folder on the network" you will see this screen confirming that the contents of your hard drive are now secure:

good

Above: a hard drive that has not been shared.

IV. Use a Firewall.

A firewall serves as another line of defense between your computer and all the dangers waiting for you on the internet. It is kind of like the moat around your castle - you get to decide what comes in and what goes out. Windows XP and Mac OS X both have built in firewalls. To enable your builtin firewalls, follow these easy steps.

Windows XP with Service Pack 2

  1. Click Start, then Control Panel, click Windows Security Center, and click Windows Firewall.
  2. Turn the firewall On.

Mac OS X

  1. Go to Apple, then System Preferences, click on Sharing, and then click the Firewall tab.
  2. Click the Start button to turn on your firewall.

Windows 2000 and earlier

Since these versions of Microsoft Windows do not include a built in Firewall option, we recommend downloading a free copy of Zonealarm or purchasing a third party Firewall software such as Norton Internet Security or MacAfee.

V. Keep an UPDATED* Anti-virus program on your computer.

What this will do: An updated* anti-virus program will alert you when a potential threatening file is being downloaded onto your computer.

*So, what does "updated" mean?

Virus Scanners need to be updated constantly because new viruses are always emerging. Get in the habit of updating daily. Many antivirus software programs include an option that automatically updates the software whenever you connect to the Internet. That way, your computer will never be surprised with by new viruses. Without these updates, the virus scanner is ineffective.

Recommended Antivirus Software and Virus Information

VI. Other ways to protect your computer

A) Email - Don't open messages from unknown sources

A simple rule of thumb is that if you don't know the person who is sending you an email, be very careful about opening email, especially if it has a file attachment. If you receive a suspicious email, the best thing to do is to delete the entire message, along with any attachment. Even if you do know the person sending you the email, you should exercise caution if the message is strange and unexpected, particularly if it contains unusual hyperlinks. Your friend may have accidentally sent you a virus. When in doubt, delete it. Don't open files with extensions .zip, .pif, .exe, .com, or .bat, or .eml files unless you know the person and what it is they are sending you.

B) Internet Security and Encryption

In Internet Explorer and Netscape, in the preferences section, there will be an option to change your security setting. Higher levels mean tighter security and will not let you browse a lot of sites it deems insecure. Lower levels will allow you to browse almost everything on the web, secure or not. The best and most used setting is a medium one.

Some tips:
Before you hit the "submit" button on online purchasing sites or on confidential information, make sure that you're secure. If you look at the web address in your browser, you should see "https://" where you usually just have "http://". The "s" means it's a secure connection.

If you're surfing with Internet Explorer, you should also see a locked padlock at the bottom-right of the window. In Netscape the lock should be at the bottom-left. If the locks aren't there, your information isn't encrypted, and safe confidential information such as credit card numbers or pin numbers can be accessible to hackers.

Remember the basic rule of security for the average Internet user; never send your credit card number or password in an e-mail. For the majority of users on the Internet, e-mail is not encrypted; therefore it's not a secure way to transmit important data.

D) Sharing - Don't share access to your computer to strangers

Your computer may allow other users to access files and folders on your computer and devices connected to your computer through "file sharing." This ability to share files can be used to infect your computer with a virus or worm. By default, Windows XP allows for sharing. ResNet highly recommends that you disable sharing; In Windows XP Pro, open "My Computer" and goto the Tools Menu and select Folder Options and click on the view tab and scroll the bottom and uncheck, "Use simple file sharing," since file sharing is set on default and you do want strangers to access your computer. To get more information about file sharing, please visit our resnet page.

E) Back up your data

Back up small documents to floppy disks and large files to CDs. You should make weekly backups of all important data. And make sure you have your original software start-up disks handy and available in the event your computer system files get damaged.