Contributed by Courtney Hime, ITAP Communications Consultant
and Michael Gough, Instructional Technologist and Coordinator of START
Last week, Oct 29 – Nov. 2, was Cybersecurity Awareness Week. Although the week has passed, the importance of the message remains. Healthy computing is an important aspect of keeping your laptop in working order during your four years at DePauw. There are five simple ways to make sure that your computer stays safe at all levels.
- Prevent Theft. A simple glance at the blotter can tell you that laptop theft is a problem on DePauw’s campus. When on the move, keep your belongings in sight and never leave your laptop unattended. If you can, lock up your computer with a cable lock when you are not using it and do not leave it in your car. If you must keep it in your car, lock it in the trunk or keep it hidden. Laptop theft can occur anywhere on campus, and you chances of recovering your computer are slim. You can increase the chance of recovery by writing down your computers model and serial number and keep it in a safe place.
- Protect your identity by keeping your personal information safe. With social networking sites as a prominent part of our lives, the possibility of someone acquiring personal information is high. Be careful of what you post on Facebook, MySpace or social networking sites. Reduce the risk of utilizing social networking sites by not posting a physical address, being careful of what pictures you post, and restricting your information to just your friends. A good way to find out if you’re comfortable with the information the world can see about you is to Google your name.
- Change your password regularly. It may seem like a hassle, but by changing your password often you can prevent people from guessing your password and stealing or using valuable information. Make your passwords unobvious and hard to guess. Be sure to use both letters and numbers. Avoid sharing your password with your friends. Though you trust them, there should always only be one person who has access to your information.
- Back up your data frequently to a network drive, CD or DVD. After having my computer crash last year, backing up information has become a habit. To make this task less time consuming, use a backup strategy that fits your lifestyle. If you write a lot of papers or generate a lot of data every day, consider backing up daily using backup software such as Norton Ghost. If you do not generate a lot of new data every day, consider backing up your files manually on a weekly or monthly schedule.
- Install antivirus software and keep it up to date. DePauw offers Symantec Antivirus for all faculty, staff and students and it can be downloaded from the helpdesk page at http://www.depauw.edu/it/helpdesk/. Be sure you update it frequently and scan often. Don’t wait for a problem to occur before you install or update your antivirus software, as it could be too late. Also, refrain from downloading illegal movies, music or software. Not only is this breaking copyright laws, but these files may contain viruses.
If you take each of these steps, you will find that not only will your computer run more efficiently, but you will have peace of mind knowing that your data and your identity is more secure. For more tips on how you can prevent data loss, theft, or identity theft go to http://www.depauw.edu/it/healthycomputing/.
