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The Following Tips Are to Help You Protect Your Computer and Personal Information

Always remember to log out of your computer, or lock the session, whenever you leave it unattended.

Create a Secure, Unbreakable Password

The strongest passwords are random strings of letters, numbers, and special characters. Unfortunately, most people have a hard time remembering them, so we recommend using pass phrases instead of passwords. They should be easy to remember, but difficult for other people to guess. To create a pass phrase, take a sentence (or a line from a song, etc.) and then replace some of the letters with numbers and special characters. You should also use some capital letters and you can also use spaces if you want. For example, the phrase “The color of my car is red” can be translated to “ThE co10R Of mY C@r i$ R3D”.

Do Not Share Your Password

It is important to remember to never share your password with anyone for any reason. Do not store your password on your computer in clear text files. If your passwords are written down on a piece of paper, make sure it is protected and stored in a secure area. Do not type your password while someone is watching you. Finally, do not log in with your password and then let someone else use your account - you are responsible for anything that happens on your account.

Never Send Your Personal Information Through Unsecured Internet Connections

It is important to remember to never send any personal information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, driver's license numbers, etc., through unsecured Internet connections. Sending your personal information in emails, through instant messages, posting it in chat rooms, etc. is dangerous and susceptible to being intercepted or harvested.

Install and Use Anti-virus & Anti-spyware Software

Remember to install anti-virus & anti-spyware software and make sure that it updates and scans for viruses & spyware regularly. This will help to keep your computer safe from viruses and spyware and help to safeguard your personal information. There are a variety of free anti-virus products that may be found online.

Update Your Operating System

Remember to regularly update your operating system with the latest security patches, updates, and drivers. This will help to prevent against viruses and other security breaches.

Do Not Use or Create Illegal Copies of Software

Do not use or make illegal copies of software. During the process of "cracking" the software, security vulnerabilities can be created. A good example of this is a "cracked" version of Windows. Once "cracked", it no longer requires a CD Key during installation, so the same copy can be installed many times by many different people. "Cracked" versions of Windows can not get updates though, so the operating system quickly becomes dated and vulnerable to being attacked or catching viruses.

Properly Dispose of Personal or Sensitive Information

Always dispose of personal or sensitive information in a secure manner by using a shredder, disk wiping utility, or other means of permanently destroying information.

Back Ups

Always make sure that your data is backed up properly on another type of media, such as an external hard drive, USB flash drive, CD/DVD, or a UTEP-approved storage utility, etc. Also, try to store your backups in a different location than the original data, so if something happens, one copy will be safe.

Use a Surge Protector

Use a surge protector to protect your computer. A spike in voltage can easily damage a computer and cause the loss of data, time, and money.

Always remember that the data you are working with may belong to other people. Protect and maintain all sensitive data, and keep in mind the privacy of all individuals since you have access to their personal information.