Windows security? No, we're not joking. Here are some things
you can do to make your system more secure, and to protect your
accounts and data from unauthorized access.
- Always use an antivirus program. You can find the freebie
on the PCF Disk. Check out the
installation notes for more details.
- Check for updates at
Microsoft's update site.
- Local file shares are dangerous. Try not to create/use them. If you
must, it's a good idea to come see the computer staff so that we can
give you some tips for securing them.
- If you use a windows-based email reader, don't use the "preview pane"
that's commonly found in these programs. "Previewing" an email message
opens that message, and if there is a problem with that message, you've
exposed yourself.
- Use secure connections to other hosts. There isn't a single answer to
how this is done. However, using Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional
on your desktop/laptop will allow secure connections to Windows
servers running 2000 or .Net Server, and in most cases the connection is secure
by default. Most types of connections to Unix or VMS hosts involve
the use of an SSH client. SSH Secure Shell is the freebie on the
PCF Disk. In addition to being
a secure dumb terminal emulator SSH Secure Shell can
be used in the following ways:
- "Tunnel" X11 connections. Start Exceed, open the Secure
Shell client, check the box under Edit->Settings->Tunneling->
Tunnel X11 Connections. Now open a session on a Unix, (or VMS),
host. When you use a program with an X interface, you'll get a
display piped through an encrypted tunnel.
- File transfer. Open an interactive session on a Unix host,
(using the Secure Shell client),
then pick Window->New File Transfer. You "upload" and "download"
files, and the interface is pretty easy to use.
- If you use a windows-based mail client, you should
secure the connection to the server.
- Don't run a web server on your desktop/laptop. We can't stress this
enough. We know it's cool, but it's also a very dangerous thing to do.
- Pick a
good password.