Personal Computing Safeguards
To reduce your and our liability and risk, please adhere to the following safeguards on your privately owned laptops and home computers, especially if you use them for University business.
- Do not use Windows 95, 98 or Millennium Editions. Microsoft is no longer releasing security patches for these operating systems. These operating systems are not secure!
- Install Service Packs and Security Patches. Whether you are using Windows 2000, XP or Vista, make sure your computer has the latest Microsoft service pack and security patches.
- Manual Updates: Open Internet Explorer, go to the Tools menu and select the Windows Update menu item. Follow the prompts and web pages to update your computer with Microsoft Update.
- Automatic Updates: Go to the Control Panel and configure the Automatic Updates applet to download and install updates at least monthly.
- If you have not run Microsoft Update in a while you may need to run this tool multiple times to get all the updates needed by your computer.
- Install an automatic scanning antivirus product of your choice. Some popular options are available from McAfee, Symantec and Trend Micro.
- McAfee VirusScan and Vires is available for free to all UF faculty, staff and students. Go to http://software.ufl.edu/mcafee/index2.html and click either the Windows or Macintosh link as appropriate. You will need to enter your Gatorlink username and password to download the software.
- Keep your antivirus software up-to-date with daily definition updates from the vendor's website. All of the above listed vendors have an automatic update feature as part of their software package.
- Make sure the Windows XP or Vista firewall is turned on by going to the Control Panel, opening the Windows Firewall applet and ensuring the firewall is turned enabled. For more information about the firewall please see: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/security/winfirewall.mspx
- Purchase a hardware firewall/router for your home Internet connection. A hardware firewall should be the first level of defense for your home computer(s). Some popular manufacturers are Belkin, DLink, Linksys and NetGear.
- Email Security: Do not open attachments from unknown sources and do not open attachments received unexpectedly from friends, family or colleagues.
- Web Browsing Security: Do no download, open or install files from un-trusted websites.
