| July 11, 2007 | Vol 8. No. 14 |
Six Rules for Safe Computing
Matt Gracie, computer security administrator I, ITS
graciem@canisius.edu
Recently, many people on campus have received E-mails that claim to have greeting cards attached to them. This is an example of “social engineering” that relies on a user’s trust and human nature to infect a computer rather than attempting to circumvent a technological barrier. People who clicked on the link in the E-mail to attempt to read this fictitious card exposed their computer to malicious software, or “malware,” that could turn it into a spam propagator under the control of the virus’s author.
There are millions of these so-called “zombie” computers on the Internet. If you do not want your computer to join them, follow these guidelines adopted from “Leo Laporte’s Six Rules For Safe Computing.”
(http://techguylabs.com/radio/ShowNotes/Show327#toc3).
- Don’t open E-mail attachments until you verify that they are legitimate, even if they appear to be from someone you know. Infected attachments are the most common means of spreading malware.
- Don’t click on links in an E-mail. If you want to go to eBay or PayPal because they sent you a message, open your Web browser and type in the Web address. Links in an E-mail can easily be disguised so that you don’t go to the Internet site that you expect.
- Don’t download files unless you’re sure that the source is safe and legitimate. People who download software from peer-to-peer networks, like Kazaa or Limewire, often unwittingly download malware and infect their computers.
- Use the automatic update features in your operating system. Whether you use Windows XP, Vista, or Mac OS X, apply critical security updates as soon as they’re available.
- Use a firewall on your computer. Both OS X and XP have firewalls built into them to keep unauthorized users out of your computer.
- If possible, never run as Administrator or any other privileged account. This is more difficult in Windows than in other operating systems, but it is good advice nonetheless.
Joel A. Cohen, PhD, associate vice president for library & information systems (cohen@canisius.edu)
The plans developed with Cannon Design for a Learning Commons in the library offer the opportunity to test some of its ideas before an actual renovation. You will see some of the changes this summer in the library. Highly demanded books, video’s, CD’s, and DVD’s will migrate to the first floor. Infrequently used material will migrate off the first floor. There will be new seating on the first floor as well. We appreciate your patience this summer while these moves are in progress.
Do you have questions, comments, or suggestions for articles you would like to see published in the LIS News? Please let us know: lis_comments@canisius.edu