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Technical Controls: Secure PC
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Tips for Keeping Your PC Safe and Secure
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Contents
* - Network Connection Standard.
- Turn off your computer when not in use
Turning your computer off when you are not using it is both environmentally friendly and a good security practice. As long as your machine is running and connected to the network, it's a target, whether or not you are using it. Furthermore, it is normally a good idea to restart your computer every now and then to free up RAM and virtual memory that was not correctly re-allocated after usage. (In other words, it makes your computer run better, especially with computers using Windows.)
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- Do not share any passwords
Remember, passwords are the 'keys' to your computer. Don't give them to anyone; and if you must, change it immediately afterwards. For more information on passwords, please visit the Good Passwords page.
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Keep anti-virus & anti-spyware up to date
Anti-virus and anti-spyware programs rely on definition files that tell them what programs are bad. If you do not regularly update these definitions, your anti-malware applications will not recognize the new threats.
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- Keep your OS and applications up-to-date
As new security vulnerabilities are discovered, operating system and application manufacturers release patches to correct them. All current operating systems (MS Windows, Apple OS, many LINUX distributions, and others) and many application vendors release patches to fix security vulnerabilities and performance flaws.
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Protect your Administrator account
You should always have a strong, complex password on the Administrator or root account of your computer. Also, if you use MS Windows 2000 or newer, there is a default Administrator account without a password. You will need to reboot into safe mode in order to put a password on this account.
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- Lock and Leave
If you work in an office, or live in the dorms with a roommate, then you should lock your computer whenever you leave it while it is running. Furthermore, you should set up a screen saver that locks the screen after a few minutes of inactivity. To do this, click Start, > Control Panel, > Display, select the Screen Saver tab, check the "On resume, password protect" check box. In an office setting, you can lock the computer by pressing Control+Alt+Delete, then select Lock Computer. Most personal computers also support this feature. If this option does not work for you, and you are using Windows XP, then go to start and select 'Switch User.' However, if you are using the 'Welcome Screen' log-on, we recommend that you use the 'Secure Log-on' (explained below) for added security.
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- Use a Secure Log-on
If you use Windows XP, you are likely using the 'Welcome Screen' to log-on. This screen appears when Windows first starts up and has a list of users and icons associated with them. While stylish, this screen unfortunately is insecure. For a log-in to be secure, it should first prompt you for your username and password. If you are using the 'Welcome Screen' and would like to use the 'Secure Log-On', just follow these steps: Go to START > Control Panel > User Accounts. Then select 'Change the way users log-on' and uncheck the box for 'Use Welcome Screen', then 'Apply Options.' You can also click on the 'Advanced' tab in the User Account window and check "Require users to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete." Fast User Switching will not work with the secure log-on, however, this minor inconvenience is well worth the added security, especially if the machine is in a public or communal space.
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