UITS urges computer safety to prevent viruses

Freshman Kirsten Torchalski lost all her documents, photos and music when her laptop crashed twice last semester. Both times, computer experts were able to recover all her files, but they still aren’t sure what caused the crashes.

“What were the odds of it happening twice?” Torchalski asked. “I was lucky that after the first time, my parents bought me an external hard drive so I had a lot of it backed up.”

University Information Technology Service officials said students should be proactive in protecting their information from computer crashes and other security issues to prevent situations like Torchalski’s from happening.

The UITS Web site provides safety tips for students about protecting their laptops from theft.

It suggests keeping laptops locked when not in use, keeping an eye on them when traveling and storing computer passwords in a separate location.

“Your personal information is valuable, and you should exercise extreme care in protecting it,” Scott Z. Wilson, Information Manager  for University Information Policy and Security Office, said in an e-mail.  

Wilson said students can protect their information by avoiding phishing scams, never sharing passwords and passphrases and being careful about the information they post publicly.  

He said one of the biggest risks students face today is identity theft.

Accidental installation of spyware, which implants cookies on the computer that allow others access to anything stored on the device, can make private information like credit card numbers and passwords public.

Students should also protect their information by backing up all necessary computer files in case of an emergency.

UITS offers free anti-virus and anti-spyware software to IU students on its Web site. It also offers information about many other aspects of computer safety.

Students should be careful about other forms of technology besides laptops, according to the Web site.

The newest generations of smart phones, such as the BlackBerry, use similar software to that of computers to access the Internet. Thus, students should also take safety precautions to protect their phone data from hackers.

Wilson said students can take security precautions, but the most important thing is protecting information. He said students should reconsider the personal information they post online and share with outside Web sites.

The UITS Web site recommends checking the authenticity of Web sites before typing in credit card information. It also discourages file sharing, because doing so opens up your computer data to potentially dangerous situations.  

“Securing your computer is important too, but again, knowledge is the key,” Wilson said. “It’s ultimately up to you to think before you click.”