Texas Christian UniversityTechnology Resources

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Computer Security _at_ Home

• Texas Christian University Technology Resources

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Overview

• Critical Patches
• Anti-Virus Software
• Anti-Spyware Software
• Internet Firewall
• Email Security
• Backup Your Computer
• Use Strong Passwords
• Wireless Security
• Etcetera

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Critical Patches

• It is critical to keep your software up-to-date
• Operating system
• Anti-virus and anti-spyware
• Applications including browsers, Adobe Acrobat,
  Java, Flash
• Newest versions contain fixes for discovered
  vulnerabilities
• Enable automatic update features in OS and
  application software
• Windows Control Panel
• Mac OSX System Preferences

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Anti-virus Software

• Anti-virus software is used to identify and
  remove computer viruses, as well as many other
  types of harmful computer software, collectively
  referred to as malware Wikipedia
• Anti-virus software offers ongoing protection,
  daily scans, daily updates.
• To be effective virus definitions must be updated
  routinely.
• Norton, Trend Micro, McAfee, AVG, Sophos, Eeye,
  also included in internet security packages.

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Anti-Spyware Software

• Protects your computer from malicious spyware.
• Spyware may monitor your online activities and
  collect personal information while you surf the
  web.
• Periodically scans your computer for spyware.
• Must also be kept up-to-date
• Ad-Adware, Spybot, also included
  in internet security packages

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Internet Firewall

• Anti-virus and anti-spyware products inspect
  files on your computer, in incoming and outgoing
  email, and on removable media. 
• Firewall software and/or hardware monitors the
  communications between your computer and the
  outside world (the Internet).
• Firewalls prevent unauthorized access to or from
  a private network (i.e., your home computer).

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Internet Firewall (continued)

• You can implement a firewall in either hardware
  or software form, or a combination of both.
• Hardware Firewall
• Router (wired or wireless), i.e., Linksys
• DSL Modem, Gateway
• Software Firewall
• Built-in Windows Firewall
• Only stops inbound traffic, does not check
  outbound
• Mac OSX 10.2 and later also has an built-in
  firewall
• Part of an internet security package

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Internet Security Packages

• Some commercial internet security packages
  include anti-virus, anti-software and firewall
  software.
• Norton, Trend Micro, McAfee,
  Sophos, EEye, ESET, AVG

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Email Security

• Phishing
• Spam
• Attachments

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Phishing

• Phishing is an illegal activity that uses social
  engineering techniques to manipulate people into
  giving out personal information.
• A highly targeted version of a phishing scam is
  spear phishing.

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Phishing (continued)

• Characteristics of phishing emails
• Unsolicited request for personal information
• Username, userid, email id, email identity
• Password
• Social security number
• Birthdate
• Generic greetings
• Contains an ultimatum
• Grammatical errors
• Content appears genuine

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Phishing techniques

• Link manipulation
• Technical deception designed to make a link in an
  email and the spoofed website it leads to, appear
  
  to belong to the spoofed organization.
• Spoofed website
• Looks almost exactly like the real thing
• Website forgery
• A spoofed website that uses JavaScript to alter
  the address bar to appear legitimate.
• Filter evasion
• Misspelled words and images instead of text are
  used to evade anti-phishing filters.

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A Recent TCU Phishing Email
Link manipulation
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Fake Website

• http//www.1025.ru/js/mail.tcu.edu

No https
Look between first double // and first single / -
thats NOT TCU
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Real Website

• https//mobile.tcu.edu/owa/auth/logon.aspx

That is TCU
Secure
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Avoid being Phished!

• Watch out for links in emails.
• Do not click on them
• Type the link directly into web browser
• Learn to spot non-legitimate web sites
• Look at the address between the // and the first
  / - it should end with the company you expect
• Fake http//www.1025.ru/js/mail.tcu.edu
• Real https//mobile.tcu.edu/owa/auth/logon.aspx
  
• Is it secure?
• https in the address
• Yellow lock icon

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Avoid being Phished (continued)

• Greet email or phone calls seeking personal
  information with skepticism.
• If you think it may be legitimate, call customer
  service number provided when account was opened.
• Be leery of alarming statements that urge you to
  respond immediately.
• Do NOT reply to phishing emails.
• OnGuard Online Phishy Home Video
• http//www.onguardonline.gov/videos/phishy-home.as
  px

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Avoid being Phished (continued)

• TCU Technology Resources, including the computer
  help desk and information security services will
  NEVER ask you for your password via email, the
  phone or in person.
• When TCU upgrades its computer or email systems
  we will NEVER send a link inside an email which
  will go to a website requesting that you login or
  enter your username and password.

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Spam

• Spam is anonymous, unsolicited junk email sent
  indiscriminately to huge numbers of recipients.
• Do not open email that is obviously Spam.
• If you do open spam, do
  not click on any links.

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Email Attachments

• Computer viruses and other malicious software are
  often spread through email attachments.
• If a file attached to an email contains a virus,
  it is often launched when you open (or
  double-click) the attachment.
• Dont open unexpected email attachments.

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Backup Your Computer

• Be prepared for the worst by backing up critical
  data and keeping backups in a separate, secure
  location.
• Use supplemental hard drives, CDs/DVDs or flash
  drives
• Backup data, files,
  pictures

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Use Strong Passwords

• Strong passwords
• At least one alphabetic, one numeric and one
  special character
• At least 7 characters long
• Mixed case
• Not similar to other passwords or your name
• Not found in the dictionary
• Lets test some passwords
• http//www.passwordmeter.com/

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Wireless Security

• Change the administrator username and password on
  your wireless hardware.
• Use WPA2 encryption to secure communication
  between your computer and your wireless access
  point.
• Change the Default SSID (default name of the your
  wireless network i.e., Linksys devices are
  normally linksys)
• Run setup wizard that comes with wireless router.
• Restrict which computers can access your network.

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Wireless Security continued

• OnGuard Online Wireless Video
• http//www.onguardonline.gov/videos/wireless-secui
  rty-yul-kwon.aspx

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Etcetera

• Supervise Children
• Teach computer security
• Use monitoring software
• Turn off computer when not using it
• Warning if off for weeks it wont get updates.
  Force updates when you turn it back on.
• Use FireFox instead of Internet Explorer
• Turn on Master Password
• Beware of freeware or shareware it may be
  spyware

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Etcetera (continued)

• If you need to access the TCU network from home,
  use VPN with Remote Desktop (Windows) or
  Screensharing (Mac)
• When getting rid of an old computer, even if the
  hard drive is broken, drill holes through it.
• Beware of public computer access
• Wireless hotspots not secure, dont require
  encryption.
• You may want to use TCU VPN.
• Kiosks or public computers not secure, key
  logging software may be installed.

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Recap

• Critical Patches keep everything up-to-date!
• Anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall
• Recommendation all inclusive internet security
  package
• Email security
• Watch for links in emails and learn to spot
  non-legitimate web sites
• Use strong passwords
• Wireless security

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Resources

• TCU Computer Help Desk
• 817-257-6855
• Help_at_tcu.edu
• http//Help.tcu.edu
• Location Mary Couts Burnett Library, first floor
• Information Security Services
• https//Security.tcu.edu
• Security_at_tcu.edu