Unfortunately, no one is immune to malicious programs and
intrusions. The fact is, everyone has to do their part so that multiple
protections are in place. Although ITS and Penn State departments work to
ensure a safe computing environment, every individual who owns a computer must
protect themselves as well. Criminals who write malicious software are always
looking for ways to overcome defenses, so multiple protective measures are
necessary.
New viruses are written and released on a daily basis.
Many of the more common viruses "morph" or change frequently to make them more
difficult to detect. Viruses spread rapidly and by many different ways (for
example, via e-mail attachments; infected document files; Web sites that
contain hostile code that can infect your computer through vulnerable browsers;
and unprotected file shares). Your computer may be vulnerable to virus attacks
if you are not using antivirus software and updating it regularly. Using
Symantec AntiVirus (FREE for Penn State students, faculty, and staff ) and
configuring it to update virus definitions automatically will help keep your
computer protected.
Important...
New computers often come with trial versions of
antivirus software. Having two different antivirus programs installed on one
computer can cause conflicts. Always uninstall the antivirus software that came
on your computer before installing the Symantec software provided by Penn
State.
To learn more about this topic, please see the following
Web sites:
Relying on the fact that many computer users fail to
install software patches on their machines, hackers create worms to take
advantage of these vulnerabilities. Most software vendors, including Microsoft
and Apple, offer updates to correct security gaps that worms and other
malicious programs can use to attack your computer. Running Symantec AntiVirus
is not enough. You can configure your computer to automatically seek out
updates for hassle-free security.
Important...
If you are running Windows XP, we strongly
recommend that you install the Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) from
Microsoft if you have not already done so.
For more information on this, please see the Windows XP
Service Pack 2 (SP2) Web page on the ITS Help Desk Web site at
http://helpdesk.psu.edu/windows/xp/sp2/index.html.
How to obtain Windows XP SP2:
To learn more about this topic, please see the following
Web sites:
Your Internet-connected computer is probed many times
daily by automated attack tools seeking ways to break into and take over your
system. Severe attacks may delete important data, crash your system, spawn new
attacks, or even steal personal information, such as passwords and credit card
numbers. A firewall can help protect your computer by blocking potentially
hostile connection attempts. Unit firewalls (firewalls that are designed to
help protect multiple computers in a university department, or a home or
apartment complex network) and properly configured personal firewalls
(firewalls that you can install on your own computer) can each provide
effective security to suit various needs. For home use, personal firewalls are
often free.
Important...
Windows XP and Mac OS X have built-in firewalls. It is
important to ensure your firewall is enabled for complete protection. Many
Linux or other UNIX-based systems also have firewall or filtering capabilities
that should be enabled.
To learn more about this topic, please see the following
Web sites:
Similar to someone looking over your shoulder and writing
down information about what you do online, Spyware (a type of software that is
implanted on your computer without your knowledge) secretly transmits
information about your online activity and the data stored on your computer.
Spyware is often installed as a component of freeware programs, including some
Peer-to-Peer applications. Remember to take caution in downloading freeware or
accepting free downloads As with personal firewalls, there are anti-spyware
programs for individual user-machines that help in detecting and cleaning
spyware from your system. Such programs are often free for home or individual
use. Two common anti-spyware programs are Ad-aware and Spybot.
To learn more about this topic, please see the following
Web sites:
Just as your Penn State Access Account has a password, you
will also normally have a password for your computer itself. When you are
setting up your computer, it is very important for each of these system
passwords to be set by you initially, and that you make them difficult for
someone else to guess. A common method by which intruders break into computer
systems is through Administrator accounts that have no passwords. Similarly,
malicious individuals often enter systems by "cracking" a poor user password,
logging in, and exploiting your information and computer access. Therefore,
selecting a good password initially and changing it periodically are important
ways to avoid having your computer or account compromised. (Passwords should be
a mix of letters, numbers and (where possible) special characters, and should
never be a dictionary word or any word related to you - for example, your name,
your pet's name, your address or phone number).
Important...
Your password is the "key" to all the electronic
services within the Penn State community. Guard your password just as you guard
your bank card PIN. Do not write it down or make it easy for someone to
"crack." Never share your password with others.
To learn more about this topic, please see the following
Web sites:
If you have questions, please contact the ITS Help Desks
at helpdesk@psu.edu.
