Windows Security
From ITS Wiki - Information Technology Services - University of Rhode Island
Seven Tips For Securing Your PC
- Update your Operating System with the latest security patches.
- Go to Start Menu > Windows Update
- Note: Windows Updates should be set to download and install automatically.
- Download and install the latest virus protection and anti-spyware software.
- The University provides McAfee Antivirus 8.5i free of charge for students, faculty, and staff on our antivirus website
- Password-protect your computer.
- Go to Start > Control Panel > User Accounts
- Click on the Administrator account and then Create password for your account.
- Note: Passwords 6-8 characters in length and with special characters (eg. !,@,#,$, etc.) are more secure.
- Turn your computer's firewall on.
- Go to Start > Control Panel > Windows Firewall then select On (recommended).
- Back up your hard drive.
- There are three easy ways to backup files:
- Use the Windows Backup Utility.
- Copy files to a USB or Firewire external storage device.
- Burn CD or DVD backups with the burning capabilities of Windows, or a third party CD/DVD writing utility.
- Download Microsoft's Baseline Analyzer (MBSA).
- Uphold copyright laws.
- See Digital Millennium Copyright Act
See Also
External Links
- MPAA Parent Scan
- A website about copyright laws and a program that will search your computer for illegal files and inform you of their presence. This program is useful for parents who wish to check for what their children might have downloaded.
- Windows Startup Inspector
- Find out just what is starting along with your computer. This is an excellent way to find if you have viruses or spyware on your computer.
