Preventative maintenance. They’re the little chores we know we should do to keep things running smoothly in our lives. Floss. Change the oil in your car. Replace the air filter in your house. Update your AntiVirus? Yes, our computers need preventative maintenance as well. We depend on them when we have papers to write, emails to send, and research to do, so it’s worth our time to make sure they’re operating at peak performance. We can accomplish this by following a simple set of best practices. We’ve compiled a list of tips that will help keep your computer in top notch shape, ensuring that the next time you’re about to print your research paper, the last thing you’ll have to worry about is your computer crashing from a virus.

Passwords

     • Use strong passwords for all accounts on your computer, including the administrator        account.
     • Use a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 32 characters.
     • Use at least one upper case letter. (A - Z)
     • Use at least one lower case letter. (a - z)
     • Use at least one number. (0 - 9)
     • Use at least one special character. The following special characters are not allowed:        Spaces @ ' ? + :
     • Your password should be changed every 180 days (6 months) to a new password by        visiting the OU's Password Site.
     • Change your password immediately if you suspect someone else may have guessed it.        In general, you should change passwords every 60 days.
     • Make sure your OU NetID password is different from any other password you use.

Software Updates

     • Use software from companies such as Microsoft and Symantec, which provide free        security updates to protect against new threats. Without current software, your        computer is almost sure to be infected or compromised.
     • Keep operating systems and web browsers up to date, as they are preferred targets.
     • Configure your system to automatically run Windows Update or Mac OS's Software        Update daily, or make sure you check for updates regularly.

Antivirus

     • Scan your computer for viruses on a regular basis. You can set your AntiVirus software        to do this automatically.
     • Have your AntiVirus software check for updates daily.
     • Install Symantec AntiVirus, which is available free to all members of the OU community        at the IT Store.

Personal Firewalls

    • Decide what types of network traffic you do and don't want your system to accept so       your firewall can alert you to possible intrusions.
    • Use the built in firewall in Windows XP, Vista, and Macintosh operating systems.

Uncertain Web Links

    • Exercise good judgment when browsing the web. Malicious web sites try to infect your       computer with a virus, install spyware, or download other programs without your       knowledge. Some also try to trick you into divulging personal information for fraudulent       purposes, known as "phishing."
    • Do not click on links (URLs) commonly found in e-mail or IM messages unless they are       from a trusted sender.
    • When entering sensitive information on a website, make sure you have a secure       connection (HTTPS://) Click here to learn about HTTPS://
    • When prompted to install ActiveX controls, ensure that they come from a trusted source.
    • Use your browser's pop-up blocker, as attackers can use popup windows to install       malicious code or display annoying or offensive content.
    • Use the trusted sites tab and other security features of your web browser.

Limiting Access

    • Turn sharing off if you don't need to give others access to programs and files on your       system.
    • Do not set your system set up for anonymous/guest access.

File Sharing

    • Exercise caution when using peer-to-peer file sharing software. If you have used one of       these programs even once, your computer is probably set up to distribute files, which       can result in a copyright violation. Even if you have legally obtained copies of       copyrighted materials and stored them on your computer, you must take care to protect       those copies from unauthorized copying by others.
    • Do not illegally download copyrighted music, movies, software, or intellectual property.       For more information about copyright, please review our copyright tutorial and find           legal downloading alternatives here.

Computer Health

     • Turn off your computer when it is not in use, as it cannot be infected or invaded when it        is not connected to the network (this is particularly important when you will be away        from your system longer than a few days).
     • Check for software and AntiVirus updates immediately when you turn your             computer on after not using it for a few days.

Using Laptops and Mobile Devices

     • Use a login password
     • Don't store unnecessary sensitive data on laptops or mobile devices
     • Encrypt important or sensitive data:
     • Windows XP
     • Windows Vista
     • Mac OS X
     • Or use FileVault in Panther
     • Back up your data routinely
     • Carry your laptop and mobile devices inconspicuously
     • Use a cable lock to increase physical security

Wifi Connections

     • Connect to secure wireless networks when possible.
     • Disable file and print sharing
     • Enable your firewall to stop unwanted incoming traffic

Data Disposal

     • Dispose of data properly to help protect our faculty, staff, and students’ sensitive        information.
     • Contact the OU IT Store to schedule a pickup of workstations and servers that are no        longer in use.
     • See Media Sanitization for more information.