Laptop Security

For a more detailed discussion and instructions on securing your laptop, see the University pages on Safe Computing.

Securing your laptop is often easy, and is critical for the correct operation of your laptop and our network. Unsecured machines will become infected, may fail to work properly, and will cause problems for other users.

In short you should at least:

  1. Turn on your Firewall
  2. Turn on Automatic Updates
  3. Install the Free U of C Anti-Virus software

Microsoft Windows Machines

Most new Windows machines are subject to worm infections as soon as they are connected to the internet. Machines can be infected in minutes, with no actions required by the user at all! We strongly encourage you to secure your laptop as soon as possible.

Here are detailed instructions from Microsoft on how to do this.

To summarize these instructions:

Turn on a firewall in Windows XP:

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel
  2. Click Network and Internet Connections
  3. Click on Wired network. Repeat for the Wireless interface if you have one:
    • Click Properties then Advanced
    • Click Firewall
    • Check Protect my computer by preventing access to this computer from the internet.
Next, enable Windows XP automatic updates:
  1. Click Start, click All Programs, click Windows Updates
  2. Follow the directions on the screen. Windows Update will scan your computer and give your a pre-selected list of critical updates.
  3. Install the updates.
Now that your machine is up to date, establish a regullar maintenance schedule wiht Automatic Updates:
  1. Click Start, click Control Panel
  2. Click Perfomance and Maintenance
  3. Click System
  4. On the Automatic Updates tab, check the box next to Keep my computer up to date
  5. Choose a setting. We strongly recommend choosing Automatically download the updates
  6. If you choose Automatic, you must then select a day and time for you computer to install the downloaded updates.
Now install the Free U of C Anti-Virus software

Macintosh OS-X Machines

  1. Turn on your Firewall
    • Note: your firewall is disabled by default
    • System Preferences
    • Click Sharing
    • Click Firewall Tab
    • Click Start

  2. Get software updates from Apple
    • This is enabled by default
    • System Preferences
    • Click Software Update
    • Check Automatically check for updates when you have a network connection

  3. Install the Free U of C Anti-Virus software

Redhat Linux Machines

Redhat defaults to having the firewall turned on. You can get automatic patches and update via the Redhat network system.

You can find detailed instructions for securing your system in the User Manual and Customization Guide for your version of Redhat on the Redhat Manuals page.

In addition, the University provides Free Anti-Virus software for Linux.

NSIT disables ports

The University computer security group scans our network ports for infected computers. When they detect such a machine, they turn off the port. If you suddenly lose your wired internet connection, please contact techstaff and let us know the port number, do not just plug your machine into another port.he port number, do not just plug your machine into another port.