Latest Announcements
Best Practices to Lower Your Personal IT Security Risks
For Staff & Students
Use of computer hardware and software carries inherent risks related to data privacy and security, data theft, and malicious changes to hardware or software. To minimize personal risks, users are reminded to update their computer operating systems and applications, as well as mobile apps, to the latest compatible version so as to minimize vulnerabilities and achieve the highest level of protection.
You are advised to:
- Update your software, web browsers and operating systems to the latest available compatible version;
- Remove software that you no longer use in your computing devices;
- Apply security patches to your software once they become available;
- Avoid clicking on pop-ups, unknown emails, and dubious links;
- Use strong passwords;
- Enable firewall protection and install anti-virus software at work and at home;
- Connect to trusted networks and secure Wi-Fi only;
- Protect your data and backup your files;
- Keep abreast of new IT developments by seeking education and training, and
- Encrypt sensitive data when placing it on removable storage (e.g. USB sticks).
If you are conducting online meetings, you are also reminded to:
- Password protect the meetings, and provide meeting passwords only to authorized users;
- Require participants to login;
- Reject anonymous users or require them to first stand-by in a “waiting room”;
- Manage access to shared meeting content;
- Chat mindfully and never share sensitive information in meetings until you are certain who is in attendance;
- Avoid sharing files or clicking links in chat rooms;
- Disable unnecessary features;
- Lock your meeting (as host), if feasible, once all attendees have joined.
If you require any advice or assistance in updating your system, please contact the IT Service Desk at 3442 8340 (staff) / 3442 6488 (students), or via email to [email protected].