What would you do if your computer got infected by a virus and you had to live without it for a week? Or if your Facebook account got hacked and you spammed all your friends – or worse yet, sent out a virus? Here are a few simple tips to prevent these things from happening.
Perform basic computer safety maintenance
This is your first step to preventing nasty viruses from infecting your computer.
- Install anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
- Keep up with software, operating system and security updates.
- Configure your computer’s built-in firewall to prevent attacks over the internet.
- Scan USBs and other external devices to make sure they are not infected by viruses and malware.
- Back up your computer regularly just in case.
Not sure how to do any of the above? Contact the ITS Service Desk and they’ll help you out.
Create strong passwords
When you set up your MyCarletonOne account, make your password strong and change it once a term.
- Create strong passwords and do not share them with anyone for any reason. A strong password has at least eight characters, uses a combination of numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and uses at least one special character (such as !@#$%^&*).
- Have a different password for each account
- Never respond to email requests for your password, even if the email appears to come from Carleton. ITS will never ask you for your password via email.
Treat your password as you would your toothbrush. Change it often. Don’t share it. If you have shared it, discard it and get a new one. And don’t leave it lying around for anyone to ‘borrow’.
This video highlights the 10 most commonly used passwords. Are one of these yours? If yes, change it!
Beware of spam and phishing
If something seems like spam, it’s probably spam – or worse yet – a phishing attempt.
- Don’t open files with strange file names
- Don’t open files or click on links from people you don’t know
- Don’t provide personal information to senders you do not recognize.
- Don’t respond to emails that request your password.
Here’s a good video called Phishing Scams in Plain English:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqRZGhiHGxg
Protect your personal information
Protect not only your personal information, but your online identity as well. What you post online can come back to haunt you.
- Limit the amount of personal information you post when using social media tools such as Facebook, twitter and YouTube.
- Do not assume that email is private.
- Limit the amount of personal information (such as SIN, credit card numbers, banking information, drivers license number, etc.) you store on your computer. If your computer is lost or stolen this can be valuable information.
- Log off, lock your screen, or use a password-activated screensavers when stepping away from your computer.
Check out this resource on protecting your personal information.