Protect Your Computer from Attack

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Want to make sure you don't fall victim to a virus or computer hacker? Want to prevent some thief from stealing your identity? Any computer that can access the Internet is vulnerable to these types of attacks. Both Windows and Mac users are at risk, but these tips can help protect your data and personal information.

Note: Malware is more than just annoying pop-up advertisements. Some forms will even try to steal your identity and other personal information. Follow our guidelines below to make sure your information stays safe.

Patches and Updates

Keep your computer up-to-date with the latest security patches and software updates released by Microsoft and Apple. These updates fix security holes that could allow an attacker to compromise your computer.

Mac:

Windows:

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Anti-Virus Protection

Make sure your computer is running updated anti-virus software. Note: Windows computers often come preinstalled with a trial version of anti-virus software, like McAfee or Norton.

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Firewalls

A firewall helps protect your computer from Internet attacks by restricting access to and from your computer. Mac OS X and Windows XP Service Pack 2 both have a built-in firewall. Windows users with Service Pack 1 are strongly encouraged to upgrade to Service Pack 2.

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Passwords

Passwords you create should be a minimum of 8 characters in length and contain a combination of letters, numbers and special characters and not be a word in the English dictionary.

To protect your personal information, create a different password for each account you use--computer login, email, network services, financial institutions, etc.

Avoid writing down passwords or checking the "remember my password" button with programs. It can be difficult to recover lost passwords, so we've created some helpful tips for creating and securing your passwords.

Set a password for the user account on your computer and disable auto login to prevent unauthorized use of your computer. Remember to password protect your screensaver or log out of your computer when not in use. It may be an inconvenience to type in your computer password, but your data will be more protected from prying eyes.

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Web Browsers

RACC supports the following web browsers for Mac and Windows computers:

Mac OS X: Safari and Mozilla Firefox

Windows 98 or later: Internet Explorer (6 and above) and Mozilla Firefox

Web browsers should be updated regularly to fix known bugs and security holes. For built-in browsers, such as Safari and Internet Explorer (on Windows), these fixes are integrated with the operating system updates. Firefox can be set to check for new updates automatically.

Note: Because of its popularity, virus and spyware writers often target Internet Explorer specifically. An unpatched Internet Explorer browser has security holes that can be easily exploited.

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File sharing and Peer-to-Peer Services

File sharing and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) services are dangerous to your system. Services like Kazaa, Limewire, and Gnutella have no security measures in place and files are often not what they claim to be. Using a file sharing service such as one of these opens yourself up to viruses and malware, even if you have anti-virus software running.

Additionally, you risk being a target to lawsuits if you share copyrighted material (many of these programs share the files on your computer without your knowledge). The best way to stay safe is to simply not use file sharing services. For more information, visit our copyright FAQ.

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Malware: Adware and Spyware

Spyware and adware are two kinds of malicious programs generally referred to as malware (malicious software). These programs are responsible for pop-up advertisements, while some forms are even more destructive and may try to steal your identity and other personal information. They often come bundled with questionable applications (like file-sharing software) and run in the background without your knowledge or consent.

Currently, Mac users are largely unaffected by malware. Windows users should install and run weekly scans for Spybot Search and Destroy. Another excellent spyware prevention tool is Ad-Aware. It is free for individual home users to download and use. A combination of these tools will detect and remove more spyware than simply relying on just one of them.

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"Phishing" Scams

"Phishing" scams often appear as a legitimate e-mail from a trusted party such as a financial institution or credit card company. They come in various forms, but they all attempt to trick the user into divulging sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers. Some e-mails will ask you to reply with your credentials (supposedly to confirm your identity), while others may contain a seemingly legitimate link to a website identical to that of the claimed sender.

The best policy to take is to never click on web links or use phone numbers provided in the suspect email. Confirm the legitimacy of the message through other means such as calling customer service from a phone number listed on your statement or manually typing in the URL in the address bar of your web browser. The "From" field in emails does not guarantee the authenticity of the sender's identity.

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For additional questions about keeping your computer safe from attack, contact IT Services.