If your computer has been compromised, Information Technology Services (ITS) reserves the right to block your IP/MAC Address from connecting to the network in order to protect the integrity of the University of Hawaii network. Information on getting your computer unblocked can be found at: http://www.hawaii.edu/askus/686. For Manoa campus, please call your IT department or the ITS Help Desk for additional assistance.
The information below will provide you with information on how to best secure your computer from being compromised by unauthorized intrusions and viruses. Please note that despite one's efforts, there is no product that will stop a determined hacker.
Microsoft Windows 98 and later have an auto-update feature. This auto-update feature periodically connects to the Microsoft website to see if they are any updates to your Windows Operating System or Internet Explorer. If any updates are available, the auto-update feature will let you know. It will then give you an option to install, install later, or deny the new updates. If you would like to manually check for updates, please visit http://update.microsoft.com/.
Macintosh OS X also has an auto-update feature. Like Microsoft Windows, the auto-update feature will periodically check the Apple website for updates. If updates are found, the feature will notify you. If you would like to manually check for updates, please visit http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/.
Microsoft releases updates for their Microsoft Office software. These updates provide feature enhancements, bug fixes, and security fixes. Unlike Windows Updates, you will need to occasionally visit http://office.microsoft.com/productupdates/ to check for updates.
If you use a departmental email server, please check with your IT support person to see if anti-virus protection is provided. If anti-virus protection is not available, you can still protect your departmental email account by forwarding email through your @hawaii.edu account first. In addition to setting up email forwarding you should advertise your @hawaii.edu account so that email messages will be routed through the UH email server and scanned by the anti-virus and SPAM scanner before it reaches your departmental email account. How many viruses has the UH anti-virus scanner removed?
Qualified UH faculty, staff, and students are eligible to install anti-virus software provided by ITS. NOTE: UH faculty, staff, and students must remove the software from any personal computers once they are no longer affiliated with the University. You may either download it or pick up an ITS CD-ROM which is available at the ITS Keller 105 Lab, the ITS PC Lab (Keller 213), the ITS Lab in Hamilton Library 2nd floor addition, or the CLIC Lab in Sinclair Library. Please bring a picture ID with you.
Spyware is one of the common reasons a computer can get blocked from the University of Hawaii network. Spyware is defined as software that gathers user's information through the Internet without his or her knowledge. Once installed the software monitors user's activity on the Internet and transmits the information to a third party.
Ad-Aware is a spyware removal program that may be used free for home use. (If you are using a computer on a University of Hawaii campus or a computer with a University of Hawaii decal, it does not qualify for a free use, and should be licensed accordingly.) You can download the Ad-Aware software and view the instructions at http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/. This software is recommended for students and faculty/staff with personal home computers and the software is free.
Spybot S&D (Search & Destroy) is a free spyware removal program that we also recommend for home use. You can download the Spybot software and view the instructions at http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html.
SpySweeper is another highly rated anti-spyware program. ITS has site-licensed this software for UH campus computers (purchased with UH funding and/or UH decaled). Faculty and staff using on-campus computers may download the software from the UH campus network at: http://www.hawaii.edu/software. This license doesn't cover home computers, so shareware costs should be paid if used on personal or home computers.
If any problems or questions, please send email to help@hawaii.edu.Although, ITS does not support any particular firewall product, there are several you may want to try. If you feel that you may have discovered a firewall software that ITS should test and support, please send email to help@hawaii.edu. If you have a particular departmental need or would like assistance, please call Jan Kawachi at 956-9595 for advice.
All user accounts on your computer should have a password, especially your Administrator or Power User accounts. If you are mapping any drives from/to your computer, please make sure they are password protected. Some viruses propagate via unprotected drive mappings.
ref: http://www.hawaii.edu/help/security/secdesk.html
