Safe Computing Guidelines

1
Safe Computing Guidelines

• Viruses, disk crashes, system bombs, and
  miscellaneous disasters can destroy your work,
  your peace of mind, and possibly your system

2
Beware of Sharing!

• Even though sharing is a kind act, it could
  affect your computer in an un-kind way.
• Viruses are spread rapidly in environments where
  disks and files are shared freely.
• A virus is a destructive computer disease that
  spreads when it comes into contact with a
  compatible file or disk.
• TIP keep your disks to yourself and dont borrow
  disks from others.

3
Gifts are not always exciting!

• Many viruses hide in those little emails bearing
  gifts called attachments.
• Messages that you receive such as heres that
  babe in the fire red bikini or look at this
  muscular hunk of a guy could contain viruses.
• TIPdont open unsolicited email attachments,
  especially from senders you arent familiar with
  just throw them away.

4
Watch out for those conniving thieves!

• Cunning thieves sometimes send you email that
  looks like it comes from a legitimate company
  asking for you to update your personal
  information, including your credit card number
  and expiration date.
• However when you click on the link, the website
  that loads isnt the actual company.
• TIPbe careful any time you enter a credit card
  number or personal info onlineyou could be a
  victim of credit card theft

5
Handle shareware and freeware with care!

• Some viruses enter systems in Trojan Horse
  shareware and freeware programs.
• A Trojan horse is a program that performs a
  useful task while at the same time carrying out
  some secret destructive act.
• TIPTest these public domain programs with a
  disinfectant program before you install them on
  your hard disk.

6
Pirating software Jail-time!

• TIPSoftware piracy is theft, and the legal
  penalties can be very severe.
• Besides, pirated software is more likely to be
  infected with viruses than shrink-wrapped, virgin
  software.
• SoThat means both your computer system and you
  would suffer the consequences.

7
Lysol-germs/AV-viruses!

• Virus protection programs are readily available
  for all kinds of systems, often for free.
• TIPdisinfect your system regularly by using
  up-to-date anti-virus software.

8
Gently handle your removable disk!

• Keep them away from liquids, dust, pets, and
  ESPECIALLY magnets (WHY?).
• Magnets can create scratches which would make
  your disk unusable.
• Also dont put disks close to phones, speakers
  and other electronic devices that contain hidden
  magnets.

9
GzJ941FK18, how is that for a password?

• Choose a password that is NOT easily guessable,
  NOT in any dictionary, and NOT easy for others to
  remember.
• Do NOT display it by your computer, and DONT
  type it while youre being watched.
• TIPTake your passwords seriously and change them
  occasionally for added security.

10
Put sensitive files on Lockdown!

• If you keep private, personal data on you PC and
  it is accessible to others, protect your files
  with passwords or encryption.
• However, if others need to see the file, lock the
  file so that it can be read only, but not changed
  or deleted.
• TIPIf secrecy is crucial, dont save the file on
  your hard disk at all, save it on removable disks
  and lock it away in a safe place

11
Save it for a rainy day!

• Regularly make backup copies of every important
  file on different disks than the original.
• Keep these copies in different locations in case
  a disaster strikes.

12
Crack this (Ha, Ha)!

• If youre sending sensitive information through
  the internet, use a utility or a program like PGP
  (pretty good privacy) to turn your message into
  code thats almost always impossible to crack.

13
Boot those Snoopers!

• If youve got an always-on Internet connection
  such as T1, DSL, or cable modem- consider using
  firewall hardware or software to detect and lock
  out snoopers.
• TIPset your file sharing controls so
  unauthorized access is limited to visitors.

14
No matter what, Be Prepared!

• Even if you take every single precaution, things
  can still go wrong.
• SoI leave you with this last TIPmake sure you
  arent completely dependent on your computer for
  really important things.

15
THE END

• Fantasia Griffith
• November 17, 2008
• ITGS
• Works Cited
• Beekman, G. Computer Confluence Exploring
  Tomorrows Technology. New Jersey Prentice Hall,
  Inc., 2005