Healthy and Environmental Friendly PC
(A) How to protect your PC against computer viruses or malware?
You must protect your PC vigilantly against computer
viruses and malware including Trojan horses and spyware because they affect not only the operation of your PC but also the performance of the entire campus network and the Internet.
It
is your responsibility to do the following. (more details at Question 1 of
http://www.itservices.hku.hk/faq/virus.htm)
(a) Keep your personal firewall turned ON to protect your PC from security threats.
To turn on Windows Firewall in Windows 7, refer to http://www.itservices.hku.hk/faq/pc/fw-win7.htm
To turn on Windows Firewall in Windows Vista, refer to
http://www.itservices.hku.hk/faq/pc/fw-vista.htm
To turn on Windows Firewall in Windows XP, refer to http://www.itservices.hku.hk/faq/pc/fw-winxp.htm
(b)
Perform Windows Critical Update whenever new Critical
Update is available
(usually in middle of a month)
(c) install an anti-virus software on your PC and
update your PC with the virus definition file daily,
preferably immediately after your PC is started
up (to get the latest virus definition).
(d) install an anti-malware software on your PC and update it with the anti-malware definition file regularly.
e.g.
-
Microsoft Windows Defender - it is part of
Windows Vista and available as a free download for
Windows XP.
-
Spybot - Search & Destroy
- It removes many kinds of malware. However, it requires
manual update of malware definition.
(It can be run even if Microsoft Windows Defender is
installed.)
(e) If your PC is infected with a virus, the virus may disable your PC from accessing anti-virus web sites and so you cannot update your PC with the latest virus definition file. You must use another PC to download the special removal tools and the latest virus definition files. (see
Question 7A of at http://www.itservices.hku.hk/faq/virus.htm)
(f) Do NOT install peer-to-peer (P2P) software because P2P software may auto-download and redistribute other software without authorization and would infringe others' copyright and make your PC susceptible to network attacks such as port scanning, virus, Trojan horse or spyware.
(g) Do NOT open suspicious mail or attachment from unknown/suspicious source.
(h) Do NOT visit suspicious web sites or click on unknown web links.
(i) Always remember to switch off your PC when not in use for a prolonged period
(e.g. when leaving office or home) to reduce the chance of your PC being attacked and if infected, to attack other computers or the network.
This also saves energy
and
is environmental friendly by extending the life of the PC.
(B) Avoid storing sensitive and personal data in unprotected devices, especially portable devices
Sensitive and personal data must be stored with password protection and better with encryption on computer and storage devices.
Portable devices, e.g. USB memory device, CD and floppy disks, are easily lost. It could lead to a breach of information security if any sensitive and personal data is stored on them.
More details at http://www.itservices.hku.hk/news/ccnews124/portable-storage-device.htm.
(C) How to protect your computer accounts and passwords?
Here are some tips to protect your computer accounts and
passwords from unauthorized use:
- Use a PIN/password of 8 characters Include
combinations of letters (upper and lower case) and
digits.
For example, think of a sentence which can be easily
remember. Take the first character of each word and make
it a password, e.g. Happy
birthday to you 2 batman and robin becomes the password Hbty2bar.
- Default passwords and passwords generated by others
should be changed promptly.
- Change password periodically to prevent password
aging (password may be spied on infected computers).
- Log off system when you leave in public places (e.g. school,
library, or cafe.)
- Don't share account with others.
- Don't disclose your user ID or password to others.
- Don't give away your user ID or password when
completing an on-line form.
- Don't store your password in the browser, or leave it
written around, in particular near the computer.
- Don't reuse passwords immediately.
- Avoid using easily guessed passwords or PIN such as
names of places, a word from a dictionary, nickname,
date of birth, phone numbers, car plate numbers, any
string of digits, a person's name, drama/film character,
brand of products, simple patterns of letters on
keyboard, e.g. 'qwert', or a string of all the same
letter.
- Change your password regularly.
(D) Be careful of using public PCs
Avoid using public computers, and if really necessary:
- Avoid accessing personal and sensitive information through the public computers as your passwords and personal information may be revealed.
- Do not use the "remember your password" feature associated with some web sites or browsers.
- Beware of somebody standing nearby watching or even webcam installed to steal your account and password data.
- Clear all history, cookies, temporary files of the Internet browser.
For Internet Explorer 7 and 8, click the menu Tools -> Internet Options -> under the General tab -> click Delete... button
For Internet Explorer 6, click the menu Tools -> Internet Options -> under the General tab -> click Delete Files... button
- Log off or even better shutdown the public computer after use.
- After use, consider changing your password at a trusted computer, e.g. your own computer.
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