Information Security Awareness: FAQs

Students should use their own (Active Directory) username and password to access office machines rather than share an account with others, Systems can also be “locked down” to enable them to run only the programs that are needed for the assigned task.

Yes. It is wise to remember that no matter how quickly you intend to get back to your machine, there are always interruptions and distractions that pull us away longer than intended – so locking your computer is always a good idea. At the very least, the machine’s screensaver should be set to activate after 5 minutes of inactivity and require a password to deactivate it.

There are two options:

• You can position your screen so that passers-by cannot view it
• You can invest in a privacy screen which can prevent persons from viewing your screen from any angle other than straight-ahead.

The Cave Hill Campus uses Symantec Endpoint Protection on Campus-owned machines and this is configured to automatically update daily.

Virus hoaxes are false reports about non-existent viruses, often claiming to do impossible things. You can take these simple steps to verify the information:Do not instantly react to forward the message. You can be certain, if it’s a real threat that CITS, news media or legitimate antivirus sources will publish all the necessary alerts. Email us to verify the accuracy of the message. Try a simple search on a site such as Google to see what information there is about it.

Yes. There have been several instances of Internet worms masquerading as music, pictures or other types of files on file sharing programs.

Spyware comprises any software that obtains information from a user’s computer without explicit consent. You can protect your computer from spyware by:

• Installing an anti-spyware solution
• Ensuring that your Windows updates are current
• Not installing “unknown” software on your machine
• Avoid clicking unwanted links and installing freeware installation
• Run a virus scan on the disk before opening any files

Yes. The firewall does offer significant protection against security threats however no singular measure is a complete defense. Think of a home – although it has a guard wall, most people still install burglar alarms and wrought iron bars. In the same manner, CITS utilises many different technologies to secure Campus resources.

Defense in depth is the cornerstone of effective security.

For an optimally secure machine, CITS installs endpoint protection (which comprises anti-virus, anti-spyware, intrusion prevention and application and device control) and conducts daily malware scans.

Updates that arrive from (installed) legitimate programs or operating systems can be trusted. Examples of these updates include Windows Automatic Updates and Adobe Reader updates. If you are unsure or suspect that an update may not be authentic, be cautious and contact CITS HelpDesk.

Currently, the Campus scans the content of inbound/outbound email for the purposes of virus or spam filtering.

The password policy requires all users to change their password every 90 days. You can change your password using the tool available at: 

Your password should consist of a mixture of numbers, letters and special characters and be at least 7 characters in length. These password requirements are in place to make it more difficult for your password to be guessed by anyone who may be trying to gain illegitimate access to your account and resources.

Cave Hill’s Virtual Private Network permits remote systems to access the Campus network as if they were physically located on the network.The VPN delivers your network traffic to the network in an encrypted “tunnel” – meaning that if the traffic is intercepted it will be very difficult for someone to read the contents of the traffic. By requiring authentication to connect via the VPN, it is assured that the person connecting is a member of the Cave Hill community.

If you suspect that a security event has occurred, please log your call at CITS HelpDesk. Your report will be sent to the appropriate CITS staff who will contact you to assist in the response.

I have been getting lots of annoying ads popping up on my computer and its performance has slowed down significantly. What could be causing this problem?Pop-ups usually indicate the presence of malware on the computer. Malware gets installed on computers through vulnerabilities in the operating system and web browser or installed along with “free” software downloads such as games and file sharing programs.