We have a number of computers in our lab, all networked. If we are not careful, viruses or other software written with malicious intent will be able to successfully attack our system. The cost of a successful attack is time wasted repairing the damage. If the operating system has to be restored, or data recollected, or analysis software rewritten, paying this cost will be painful. The five policies given below, if followed, will reduce the risk of harm coming to our system, or minimize that harm.
| 1) | Virus protection software must run on all machines
with auto-updating enabled. We have either McAfee or Norton virus
protection software installed on all machines. If you use one machine in particular, for example for data collection or analysis, then you are responsible for checking periodically that the virus protection software is up-to-date. |
| 2) | All data must be backed up on department disk space at the end of the day on which it is collected. Make sure your home directory is on my disk partition so you don't run into disk quota problems. |
| 3) | E-mail and net news messages are not to be read or
sent directly from the lab computers. Go through the department
Unix machines instead. A good Unix application for mail and news
is 'pine'. A corollary to this is that no user or password information should be stored on a pc web browser or mail program. Exception: I realize working directly from your pc is convenient. See me if you want an exception made for a narrowly targeted news group directly connected to your research. |
| 4) | Our machines are not to be used as web or ftp servers. Again, use the department Unix machines for that. |
| 5) |
Do not download any application
from the net without checking with me or one of the senior graduate
students first. This includes Java applets and Microsft Office
macros.
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