Before You Connect
Before you connect to the campus network, there are a few things you'll need to do to help keep your computer virus free.- Patch your operating system: This is a crucial security
step no matter which operating system you use. Patching your
operating system keeps hackers and viruses from getting in
through previously undetected flaws. Besides helping to keep
your computer safe, OS patches frequently address stability
issues, making your computer more reliable.
If you haven't patched your computer in over a month or are coming to campus for the first time, please visit the CITES Help Desk and pick up a CD containing the latest antivirus software before you connect to the campus network. Many viruses essentially float free on the network, automatically scanning for vulnerable computers. During the worst outbreaks last year, it took only seconds for vulnerable computers to be infected—by the time you could reach your operating system update site, your computer would have already contracted a virus.
- Install and update antivirus software: Keeping your
antivirus software up to date is critical, as outdated software
will not recognize new viruses. See the CITES
Antivirus pages for more information.
- Install and update anti-spyware software: Spyware
can produce many of the same effects as viruses, and needs
its own kind of preventative software. See the CITES
Anti-spyware pages for more information.
- Set up a personal firewall: Many modern operating
systems come with their own firewall software, which prevents
certain types of network traffic from reaching your computer.
If, for example, you aren't sharing files or running an FTP
server, there's no reason for your computer to accept file
sharing or FTP traffic.
While you can certainly go through your entire academic career without using one, a firewall does provide an added measure of insurance with a minimum of inconvenience. After all, the fewer connections your computer accepts, the fewer ways it can be broken into.


