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Safe
Computing home
Get
protected. Get connected.
Backups
Always
have at least two copies
Best
practices
Keep
your computer safe
Campus
Manager
Register
your computer
Malware
Aka
spyware or adware
Passwords
Why
and how to choose a strong one
Updates
Why
bother with these
Viruses
Keep
your computer healthy
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Safe Computing - Best Practices
Here are some quick tips for making your
computing safer.
Physical Security
- Don't leave your laptop unattended. Use a
security cable to secure it, even if you'll just be gone for a moment.
- Lock your door. Computers are valuable,
reasonably portable and easy to sell. It takes less than a minute to
unplug a desktop computer and walk away with it.
- All operating systems have a way to
"lock" the computer screen so that you can't use it without a password.
Learn how to lock your computer.
Browsing Habits
- Most malicious software on the Internet
is written to exploit Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser. By
using a different Web browser, you make your computer much more
resistant to malicious programs. ITS recommends and supports the
Mozilla Firefox Web browser.
Get
Firefox
- Learn to distinguish advertising from
normal links. Clicking an ad can take you some place strange and expose
you to things you weren't expecting. Be aware of what you're clicking
on.
- Be wary of gambling, adult and online
game
Websites. They are a major source of malware.
- If a program asks to be installed and you
didn't request it, say No (or Deny or Cancel).
Scams
- No one legitimate asks you for your
personal information via e-mail, especially not ITS, Macalester, Paypal
or Ebay.
- If you get an e-mail message asking you
to log in to your account, do not click the link in the
message. The link may have been faked and might take you to a
scam site. Instead, open your Web browser and go to the site like you
normally do.
- When in doubt, ask someone else about
it and see what they think.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
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