Windows Security

Larry MacPhee e-Learning@NAU

Why Security Matters

• Public nuisance• Loss of productivity

– The cost of spam!• Loss of data• Identity theft• Credit card fraud• Erosion of trust

Focus on Prevention

• Prevention is easy– 6 steps

• Cure is hard

1. Use an Anti-Virus tool

50,000+ Windows VirusesNew viruses up 400% from last yearDownload Sophos Anti-Virus from ITS

a. Keep your virus definitions up to date

b. Scan while you sleep

c. Automate the process

2. Guard Against Spyware

NAU recommends Spybot

Find and remove

3. Filter Spam

Manage your NAU e-mail

Customize your filters

No more Viagra!

4. Beware the phish hook

Something phishy?

• Urgent e-mail requires your immediate action• Plays on fear of compromised security• Usually doesn’t refer to you by name• Asks you to confirm your identity• Asks you to enter your password• Message may contain typos• May use a suspicious URL

More reading

5. Apply Security Updates

a. Start/Windows Update

b. Choose Express Install

c. Install Priority Updates

Note: NAU pushes out security updates to campus machines

Express Install

Bypass non-critical updates

Automatic Updates

a. Start/Control Panel

b. System

c. System Properties

d. Automatic Updates

6. Browse Securely

• Look for the lock symbol and https://• Use the VPN for wireless transactions• Use hard to guess passwords• Change passwords frequently• Read your credit card statements• Don’t approve save of credit card info

Why so vulnerable?

• 90% of computers run Windows• Many dislike Microsoft and Bill Gates• Windows is not very secure• MS is slow to patch security holes• Hard to regulate and enforce• Lots of novices online

Is my computer compromised?• Slower than normal performance• System crashes• Pop-up ads• Home page has changed• Browser crashes• Possibly no symptoms!

Be afraid!

• You might be a zombie!• You might have a keystroke logger• You might be a DDOS pawn• You might be a notorious spammer!

Remedies

• Disconnect from the network (temporarily)• Boot up from a System Restore CD• Run anti-virus software• Run anti-spyware software• Run disk, hardware check utilities• Wipe the drive and reinstall everything!• Get a Mac? Learn Linux?

Coming Soon!• Microsoft Free Computing Environments (MFCE)• Costs and Benefits• The Open Source Movement

Macintosh

Linux

Open Office

Acknowledgements

• Stephanie McCarthy - Graphics• “Big Dave” Dennehey - Technical Consulting