Use anti-virus software and keep virus definitions up-to-date. Symantec AntiVirus software is provided for all students. Login to the TCU portal at http://my.tcu.edu/ to download. The TCU version of Symantec AntiVirus is required for all students using a ResNet network connection.
Download and install operating system and 3rd party patches. Download the appropriate updates and patches for your Operating System on a regular basis. Updates can be found at the Windows Update page on the Microsoft site http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ or the Apple update site http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/.
Backup important files on a regular basis or save them to your personal network space on the Student File Server.
Bring copies on CD of your operating system and software applications. Many viruses and spyware cause enough damage that the machine's harddrive has to be reformatted and the OS and other applications have to be reinstalled.
Select hard to guess passwords and keep them private. Passwords must contain at least one alphabetic, one numeric and one special character. Each password must be at least 7 characters long and must be unique each time it is changed. The password self-service web page is located at: http://password.tcu.edu/.
DO NOT share copyrighted material. It is illegal to share copyrighted material such as music files or movies. In addition, sharing software such as BearShare, LimeWire, kaZaA and Morpheus usually contain harmful spyware that is added to your computer as the sharing software is installed.
Be careful not to download spyware and malware. Cute programs are created to entice users to download them. Some programs are created for the specific purpose of spreading spyware, malware or viruses that are harmful to your computer system. Use free programs such as Ad-Aware and Spybot to clean machines of spyware.
Exercise caution when opening email attachments. Email attachments are a popular way to send viruses. Do not open an attachment unless you are expecting one from a specific sender.
Protect your privacy. Be skeptical of web pages or emails that request personal information. Popular sites such as Facebook and Myspace solicit sensitive personal information from students such as birthday, dorm and room number, cell phone number, and personal photos. It is highly recommended that students do not submit any information to these sites. Collection of information of this kind easily leads to identity theft and stalking. Also, use common sense when shopping online. Purchase products only from reputable, well-known companies.
Watch the TCU security web page for alerts and additional security information. The web page at http://security.tcu.edu will provide information on security alerts and issues.
Report a computer abuse incident. Send email to abuse@tcu.edu to report any incident.
