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Safe Computing
There are several
things you can do to enhance safe computing. These are things that will
lessen your chances of getting and/or transmitting a computer virus,
lessen your chances of getting spyware or adware, keep illegally obtained
files from being shared from your computer, etc.
As a start, please
make sure you follow the Oberlin College Information Technology Acceptable
Use Policy.
Phishing:
- Bogus E-Mail: Sometimes, e-mail messages may appear to be from legitimate sources - "Oberlin College Information Technology Support', financial institutions (e.g., Bank of America, Lorain National Bank), or other credit or account organizations (e.g., eBay, PayPal) with whom you either do or do not have an active account. The message often states some critical need for you to contact them and provide information, and may include statements such as:
* Verify Your Account
* If You Don't Respond Within 48 Hours, Your Account May Be Closed
* Account Information Needed
* Dear Valued Customer
There is then usually a link to click to provide information such as your username and password, Social Security Number, account number, credit card information, etc.
- DON'T BECOME A VICTIM - DON'T REPLY TO THESE MESSAGES! DO NOT reply or click on any links in the message. The senders are "phishing" [pronounced as fishing] for personal information and responses can lead to account access, credentials for the purpose of sending spam from real accounts, fraud and/or identity theft. Note: CIT, financial organizations, and others would NEVER, EVER send legitimate e-mail asking for account information.
- To protect yourself:
* Never respond to a message such as this, or click on any links.
* Contact the organization mentioned to make sure the message is legitimate
* Keep your computer's operating system updated - allow automatic updates - at Oberlin, this is set up for all College-owned Windows computers.
* Keep your anti-virus software updated.
* Use updated anti-spyware software.
Viruses
and Worms:
- Anti-Virus
Software: Computer viruses and worms can easily be spread
from computer to computer. On Windows computers, in particular, they
can cause much harm. Macintosh computers can transmit viruses to other
computers, but are generally not susceptible to many viruses, other
than an occasional macro virus (e.g., Microsoft Word macro virus).
The best defense is to install virus-checking software and then keep
it up to date with the latest virus definitions (known as DATs). New
viruses and worms are being created all the time! CIT has procured
a college-wide license for both McAfee and Sophos anti-virus software applications. All College
faculty, staff and students are eligible to download the software
from the CIT download web pages (ObieID logon credentials required), or pick up a CD with the software on it from the CIT Help
Desk in Mudd 005.
- Network Authentication: CIT has a Network Access Control (NAC) product in place that
checks computers prior to them being allowed network
access. Thus, all personnel connecting to the college network, will have their
computers automatically scanned for viruses, and, in the case of Windows, the latest security patches, prior to establishing
connectivity. This network authentication process runs every 28 days. In order to reestablish access, a user must first open a web browser and enter his/her ObieID login information in the designated boxes.
- Microsoft
Outlook and Outlook Express: CIT does not recommend the use
of Outlook or Outlook Express as one's email program. Since we do not run the back-end Microsoft products that maximize the use of these programs, we cannot be assured of their functionality. Also, these applications
have been quite susceptible to viruses . Alternatives we recommend include
Mac Mail and Thunderbird for Macintosh users and Thunderbird for Windows users. OCmail
(ocmail.oberlin.edu) and ObieMail (mail.oberlin.edu) are the webmail clients supported by CIT. They allow people to access
their email from anywhere, using a web browser. This is particularly
useful when away from campus, say, at a conference. OCMail is the newest product. It will replace ObieMail by fall break, October 2008.
Security
Updates and Patches
- Both Macintosh
and Windows operating systems routinely require software security
updates and patches. We recommend you set your computer to automatically
notify you of new updates and patches and install them as soon as
possible (see below for instructions). Windows users should, however,
check with CIT (send a message to cit@oberlin.edu)
before installing any new Service Packs (SPs). Sometimes, these can
create problems in our particular computing environment and we test these SPs thoroughly and don't recommend installation
until we have ensured the software update will work properly.
To set Mac
computers to automatically notify of updates: In OS X,
select System Preferences from the dock, then System, then Software
Update. Ensure that Check for Updates is checked and select your
desired frequency.
To set Windows
computers to automatically notify of updates: In Windows
XP, select Control Panel ->System. Click on the Automatic Upgrades
tab and select an appropriate choice for automatic updates (e.g.,
Automatic Updates or Notify me...). Faculty and Staff college-owned
computers are generally set up by CIT with the first choice already
selected.
Spyware
and Adware:
- These
days, one of the biggest problems for Windows computer users is the
hidden influx of spyware and adware. These are software programs that
you may be unwittingly running on your computer that can gather personal
information (i.e., credit card details), hardware and software specifications,
even your web surfing habits. It can even break your network connection
so that you have to have the software on your computer completely
reloaded. This software is often installed silently and without your
expressed permission when installing other software (often P2P programs),
or visiting some websites. Please visit our Virus
Protection web page for information on getting rid of these programs.
Copyright
Violations:
- You should be
aware that it is a violation of copyright law to download
files for which you are not the copyright owner, or for which you
do not have the copyright owner's express approval. This includes
most music, movie, and interactive gaming files. People (usually
found to be students) who download files using peer-to-peer file-sharing
programs usually (as in, almost always) turn their own computers into
file-sharing servers. This puts them especially at risk for being
discovered, potentially leading to serious ramifications, including
loss of network access, judicial board action, lawsuits by external
organizations, etc. It is incumbent upon all Oberlin College computer
users to be aware of copyright law, to not violate copyright law,
and to be aware of the capabilities of their own computers, regardless
of whom they have let use said computers (i.e., it is not an excuse
to say "my brother used my computer and he put those files there").
Please see the CIT web pages on Copyright
for more information.
- There are many
alternatives to downloading music files illegally. For example, Apple
provides the iTunes Music Store, offering music files for a nominal
fee. The iTunes software is available from our software
downloads web pages, for both Mac and Windows computers.
- If you have
questions about the capabilities or status of your computer, please consult
a Technology Consultant in the Technology Services Center in Mudd 112B who can check it for you.
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