CyberSecurity
CyberSecurity is a way of protecting your computer and keeping personal information and data safe. Computer hackers, attackers, and intruders are names given to people who try to find ways to get into computers to create chaos and destruction. They do this by writing malicious code such as viruses, worms, and trojan horses.
Protection
There are many ways of protecting your computer.
Note: These instructions are intended for your personal P.C. - You should NOT make these exception changes to any company or work P.C. without first receiving permission. Contact the Help Desk for more information.
Firewall - A firewall is a software program or piece of hardware that helps protect your computer by preventing unauthorized users (hackers) from gaining access to your computer through the Internet or a network. In other words, it examines information coming from and going to the Internet. The firewall acts as a barrier and blocks the connection. The operating system (e.g. Windows XP, WIndows Vista) automatically comes with a windows firewall. It is recommended that you turn on the firewall to block outside sources from connecting to your computer. However, the windows firewall is not enough to keep hackers out. For added security look into buying Anti-virus and Anti-spyware software.
Anti-virus Software - You might want to purchase specific software such as Norton's, McAfee, Trend Micro or some other anti-virus software for your computer. Anti-virus software is a program that helps detect and prevent malicious code (viruses, worms, and trojan horses) from causing damage to your computer. The anti-virus software takes action to disarm or remove the malicious software program. Some of these software packages also include Anti-spyware which gives the extra tools needed to combat malicious code and identity theft. Once you have the anti-virus software installed, keep it active and up to date with the most current virus definitions.
Anti-spyware Software - Anti-spyware helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware software. It also helps protect your computer from identity theft. Identity Theft is where the computer hackers steal personal information. They do this by getting the spyware into your computer. Spyware can capture key stroke as you are buying something on line and using your credit card or giving personal information like your social security number.
- What is Spyware? - Spyware is any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else.
- What is Adware? - Adware is software integrated into or bundled with a program. It is used to display advertisements. It is usually seen by the programmer as a way to recover programming development costs, and in some cases it may allow the program to be provided to the user free of charge or at a reduced price. The advertising income may allow or motivate the programmer to continue to write, maintain and upgrade the software product.
Some adware is also shareware, and so the word may be used as a term of distinction to differentiate between types of shareware software. What differentiates adware from other shareware is that it is primarily advertising-supported. Users may also be given the option to pay for a "registered" or "licensed" copy to do away with the advertisements.
- What is Malware? - Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. It is a blend of the words "malicious" and "software". The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code.
Many normal computer users are however still unfamiliar with the term, and most never use it. Instead, "(computer) virus" is more commonly used in common parlance and often in the general media to describe all kinds of malware. Another term that has been recently coined for "malware" is "badware"; this coinage is apparently connected to or due to the antimalware initiative "Stopbadware" (stopbadware.org) and represents an attempt to find a purely English word equivalent that is easier for most users than the half "foreign" word "malware".
Software is considered malware based on the intent of the creator rather than any particular features. It includes computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, adware, and other malicious and unwanted software. Malware should not be confused with defective software, that is, software which has a legitimate purpose but contains harmful bugs.
E-mail Phishing and Spoof Attacks - Protecting Yourself Against E-Mail Phishing and Spoof Attacks. Most unwanted e-mail are harmless, apart from clogging up your in-box. But e-mail phishing and spoof attacks are more than just a nuisance: identity thieves or cyber criminals use these techniques to steal passwords and other sensitive information to perpetrate all manner of fraud. Here are some ways to protect yourself.
Spoofing and phishing are two different, but interrelated, techniques employed by scammers to steal your personal information. Spoofing refers to the practice of "impersonating" someone else in an e-mail or on the Web. Phishing attempts to trick users into revealing their private information, usually in tandem with a spoofed e-mail and Web page. See You Tube Video by The Common Craft Show.
Odds are you have been the target of a phishing/spoofing attack yourself. These usually take the form of an HTML e-mail that looks as though it has come from eBay, PayPal, or a bank or other financial institution. The e-mail may claim that your account has been compromised, or that you need to update your account information as a routine procedure. Of course, the message isn't from one of those trusted companies at all: it's from a scammer "phishing" for your sensitive information.
If you follow the link in the e-mail, you will be taken to a spoofed Web page. It looks much like a Web page for the company in question, but it isn't. If you enter the requested personal information, it will go not to the trusted company, but in to the hands of the scammer, who will use or sell your information.
Phishers have gotten pretty good at spoofing Web pages and e-mail messages, making it easy to fall for their schemes. But taking a few simple precautions will keep you from ending up a victim.
- Be careful about clicking links in e-mail messages. If a company you do business with is requesting information from you, go directly to their Web site and submit the information. Do this by opening your browser and typing the Web address yourself. Since URLs and e-mail addresses can be spoofed and redirected, never submit sensitive information in an e-mail form or via a link in an e-mail message.
- Make sure you are on a secure site. If you do go directly to the Web site and are submitting any information, check your browser and the URL. If the site is secure, your browser will show a "lock" graphic (usually in the lower right corner), and the URL will begin with "https://" and not "http://". The "s" tells you the server is employing secure HTTP.
- If you suspect you have received a spoof e-mail, forward it to the company it appears to be from. The company can verify if it is, indeed, from them, or a fraud. Be sure to forward the entire e-mail, including the header information. The company can use this information to try and locate and stop the phisher — at least temporarily. You can also send the e-mail to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov.
- When in doubt, do not submit any information. If you even suspect you are being phished, call the company on the phone, or visit their site as outlined in steps 1 and 2.
- Practice good general computer security measures. This includes installing and maintaining antivirus and firewall software. Some phishing e-mails include spyware that can track your Internet activity and compromise the security of your system. If you suspect you have spyware on your system, install an anti-spyware application such as Ad-Aware or Spybot Search & Destroy.
Windows Updates - Computer hackers are constantly trying to find ways of getting in windows so they can damage computers worldwide. Make sure to keep your computer up to date by running windows updates. Windows Updates are new software releases from Microsoft that upgrade, add features to, and protect the software that runs your computer. Microsoft offers security updates on the second Tuesday of each month. You can also set up your computer to automatically receive updates when needed. By running these updates and installing the security patches, it helps to prevent the hackers from getting in and causing damage.
When you see a little yellow looking shield in your notification area in the lower right corner of the screen, left-click the icon. You will get a box that states, how do you want to install the updates. By default, Express Install will be selected. Click the Install button. When the process is complete, the system may prompt you to reboot. Please do so at this time, otherwise you will be prompted every 15 to 30 seconds to reboot. When you no longer see the yellow shield in your notification tray, your system is up to date and you may perform your daily tasks as normal.
Prevention
E-mail Attachments - Don't open e-mail attachments from someone you don't know and use caution with attachments from someone you do. If you receive an attachment take a close look before opening it. Does it look legit? What does the subject line indicate? Does it make sense? If not and it came from a known sender, call the sender before opening it. If you don't know who it came from and it doesn't look right, delete it.
Block spam or unsolicited e-mail - If you receive spam or unsolicited e-mails, don't open it. If you open the e-mail and respond, you've let the sender know that the e-mail address is valid. That company can turn around and sell your e-mail address and you will receive more spam or unsolicited e-mails. See how to block them using GroupWise.
If you get unwanted pop-ups, don't click ok, agree, or cancel. Click the X in the upper right corner of the window to close the pop-up. If that doesn't work, shut down the computer. Clicking ok, agree, or cancel could be a way to get spyware.
Virus Hoax - Don't forward e-mail messages that you receive, giving information about possible viruses. It may just be a hoax. The person wants you to pass it on so it will tie up the internet and e-mail accounts. To find out whether or not it's a real virus or hoax you can generally google it or visit vmyths.com or truthorfiction.com.
Back up files - Here at Kellogg Community College most of the staff and employees work from a network drive. In other words, there is a location on the network where you can store your data information such as word documents, excel spread sheets, and access data bases. It is safe because its backed up every day. It is convenient because you don't have to carry a floppy drive or memory stick around with you. And no matter where you're at (on campus or one of the centers) you can log into a KCC computer and get your information off the network.
There are many ways you can unintentionally lose information on a computer. A child playing the keyboard like a piano, a power surge, lightning, floods, and sometimes equipment just fails.
If you regularly make backup copies of your files and keep them in a separate place, you can get some, if not all, of your information back in the event something happens to the originals on your computer.
Deciding what to back up is highly personal. Anything you cannot replace easily should be at the top of your list. Before you get started, make a checklist of files to back up. This will help you determine what to back up, and also give you a reference list in the event you need to retrieve a backed-up file. Here are some file suggestions to get you started:
- Bank records and other financial information
- Digital photographs
- Software you purchased and downloaded from the Internet
- Music you purchased and downloaded from the Internet
- Personal projects
- Your e-mail address book
- Your Microsoft Outlook calendar
- Your Internet Explorer bookmarks
You will need to decide where you want to store your backup copies—external hard disk drive, CDs or DVDs are a few examples of devices you can use.
Making backup copies manually - Regardless of what version of Windows you use, you can manually make a backup copy of any file or folder by following these steps:
- Right-click the file or folder that you want to back up, and then click copy from the menu.
- In My Computer, you can right-click the disk or external hard drive where you want to store the backup copy and then click paste from the menu.
- There may be other steps required if you are using CDs or DVDs and you are using software other than Windows to burn to them.
Passwords - Don't write down or give out your passwords. If you do have to write them down, keep them in a secured place. When choosing a password, use a combination of letters and numbers using capital and lower case combinations. Some passwords will accept a special character however here at Kellogg Community College you are asked not to use special characters. See how to change your password.
Computer Safety Do's and Don'ts - Here is a list of how to avoid common computer problems at home.
DO:
- Install and run Antivirus software
- Run Windows Critical updates when prompted
- Use a firewall on your home computer
- Backup your documents regularly
- Use strong passwords and change them frequently
DON'T:
- Open Email from unknown senders
- Install programs from the Internet
- Install file sharing software such as Kazaa and LimeWire
- Use obvious passwords such as your name or birthday
- Send passwords over email
- Install a wireless router with no security
Removing viruses and worms - Unfortunately, new viruses and worms propagate at such a rate that the only recommended method of protecting your computer is to have a fully functioning antivirus software installed with the most current virus definitions. For KCC staff and faculty, we have SAV installed and is updated automatically.
If you are KCC staff or faculty and you believe you have a virus, you must put a work order in so a member of the I.S. staff can work on the issue. The eradication of worms and viruses requires advanced knowledge of the most recent methods and techniques for computer cleansing and most times requires the reformatting of your computer.
Web Sites
NCSA (National Cyber Security Alliance) – www.staysafeonline.org – Cyber Security Practices
NCAS (National Cyber Alert System) - http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ - Cyber Security Tips
Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) http://www.msisac.org - Cyber Security Awareness Resourses
OnGuard Online – http://onguardonline.gov
Identity Theft – http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
Virus Hoax – www.vmyths.com or www.truthorfiction.com
Frequently Asked Questions
I use Groupwise, how do I use the Junk Mail Handling feature?
How can I change my password?
How to use the Junk Mail Handling feature in GroupWise (4:29)
