Quick Tips for Keeping Your Computer Secure
More information can be found at http://safecomputing.uchicago.edu.
- Disable all unnecessary services. Many operating systems start services that are not necessary.
- Update and patch your system regularly. (Use Windows Update, for instance, for a computer running the Microsoft Windows operating system. It can be accessed from the "Start" menu.)
- Keep your password secure. Your password is the main protection that your system has against unauthorized access.
- Choose a good password. See: http://safecomputing.uchicago.edu/passwords/.
- Change it regularly.
- Do not share it with anyone else.
- Avoid using the same password for other services.
- Do not store it as a setting in a program.
- Run an antivirus program. All machines on campus are required to have antivirus software installed and kept up to date. The University provides a site license to students for McAfee VirusScan (http://antivirus.uchicago.edu). The software should be configured to check for virus updates daily as new viruses are being released with alarming regularity.
- Machines found to be infected with a virus or network worm may be removed from the network until the machine has been properly cleaned and resecured. This may mean that virus updates or patches must be downloaded to a separate machine, burned to CD (or saved to a USB key) and then installed on the compromised machine.
- Use a firewall. Most current operating systems (including Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Mac OS X) ship with host-based firewalls which are well designed and can protect them from outside attack. Students who use such machines should make sure that these firewalls are enabled and configured to disallow incoming connections.
- Be cautious about installing software. Some programs lessen the security of a system by deliberately or unintentionally allowing remote access.
Do not open any email messages that have attachments that you are not expecting. Many viruses will ransack an infected hard drive for email addresses, then send virus-laden email to those addresses.
