Security
SecurityThis page covers precautions you can take to keep your computer secure from attacks from viruses, spyware, and other sorts of malware. These types of malicious software can steal your personal information, track your computer activity and infect other people, so read on for ways to protect yourself. For information about OWU network security, see this page. ContentsWindows UpdatesAnti-Virus Firewall Spyware and Other Types of Malware Related Links External Links Windows UpdatesKeeping Windows up to date is the single most important thing a Windows user can do to secure their computer. Installing important updates for Windows is easy if you just have automatic updates turned on.To check if automatic updates are turned on in Windows XP:
To check if automatic updates are turned on in Windows Vista:
Anti-VirusIt is mandatory that all Windows computers connecting to the OWU campus network have up-to-date virus protection currently running on them. This policy is enforced by Impulse Point. New viruses are being introduced every day. Virus software must be constantly updated for it to be effective. Ohio Wesleyan has a site license for Sophos antivirus software, making it available free of charge to all current faculty, staff and students. The installation program is included in the OWU Network CD provided to all incoming freshmen and also available at either the Student Help Desk or Faculty/Staff Help Desk.For other quality (and free) Anti-Virus solutions see the external links section. No matter which you choose, make sure you only have one anti-virus program installed at a time. Having multiple anti-virus programs installed at once can slow your computer down and cause strange conflicts. Common Sense Virus Precautions Many computer viruses are spread via email, either as a file attachment or via a hyperlink within the email itself. This is why it is important that you should not open any attachment that you are not expecting or click on any link you're not sure of. If you receive an email attachment that you were not expecting, you should contact the sender to verify that they purposely sent you the attachment before you open it. Also keep in mind that a large percentage of the virus warnings circulating via email are hoaxes. Forwarding these bogus warnings takes time and computing resources and may cause unintended harm. Before forwarding any virus warning, always verify the information through a trusted anti-virus resource, such as the McAfee Threat Center, or an urban legends reference site, such as Snopes.com. FirewallA firewall is an important component of security that will help protect your computer from unauthorized access. Both software and hardware firewalls exist but this section will be concerned only with software solutions. Windows XP has a built in firewall, however it is of questionable quality. It is highly recommended that you disable the Windows Firewall and install a single (never have more than one firewall active) quality standalone firewall. Both free and commercial packages exist. For a free solution, PC Tools Firewall Plus is highly recommended. You can also check out this website for a continually updated list of firewalls that are tested and ranked by their performance.The firewall built into Windows Vista is much better than XP's, however it can still be a good idea to consider using a separate standalone firewall instead. Spyware and Other Types of MalwareSpyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user's interaction with it, without the user's informed consent. Unlike viruses, spyware does not directly spread itself to other computers. Spyware often comes piggy-backed on other freely distributed software or disguises itself as something useful and legitimate like a web accelerator or even as anti-spyware. Up-to-date and currently running anti-spyware software is also required to connect to the OWU network.Preventing Spyware Infections Spyware and other similar malware can be especially difficult to remove once it's on your system, so preventing an infection in the first place is ideal. The best thing you can do is install some software like SpywareBlaster that blocks spyware and other malware from being installed in the first place. The free version of SpywareBlaster is entirely adequate but doesn't have automatic updates, so you have to remember to update it manually (just a click of a button in the program). The paid version does include automatic updates. Removing Spyware If you already have Spyware on your computer you'll have to install some extra software to try to remove it. You may want to keep one of these programs on your computer all the time, as most have some blocking capabilities like SpywareBlaster and can be set to run scans on a regular basis. It is not advisable, however, to continually run multiple full blown anti-spyware programs. Once you've removed all the spyware you should uninstall everything but SpywareBlaster and one of the programs below. Malwarebytes is an anti-malware application that can thoroughly remove even the most advanced malware. It includes a number of features, including a built in protection monitor that blocks malicious processes before they even start. Spybot - Search & Destory detects and removes spyware and also has some blocking capabilities under the "Immunize" feature. Windows Defender is free software created by Microsoft that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software by detecting and removing known spyware from your computer. Related LinksOWU Network Security External LinksAnti-Virus Software Avira Anti-Vir Avast AVG Firewall PC Tools Firewall Plus Firewall Ratings Windows XP and Vista Firewalls - a nice article from ConsumerSearch.com Spyware Malwarebytes Spybot - Search & Destory Windows Defender Still need help?For assistance please contact the help desk. |
