Santa Clara University

It is critical that you install anti-virus software and keep it updated.  Browsing the Internet, sharing files, infected thumb drives, portable hard drives, mp3 players, smart phones, etc. can all infect your computer with viruses.  No computer is immune--Windows, Mac, Linux, PDP-11--can all be infected.

Many viruses don't do anything you would readily notice. They just run in the background using your computer to send SPAM or spread malware to the people you communicate with so that their computers send SPAM or infect other computers.  All you may notice is that your computer is running more slowly or the drive access light is blinking all the time. 

Anti-virus software does more than just protect from viruses.  There is a lot of other bad stuff out there like malware that collects your keystrokes and sends them to a computer somewhere.  Then the criminal behind the malware will try to use your information to steal your identity (think about all the usernames and passwords that you type and what you access).

If your computer gets a virus, you will probably lose some of your work and a technician will have to eradicate the virus from your computer--that usually means fully erasing the hard drive and reinstalling all your software.  While that is being done, you won't be using your computer.  Further, your infected computer probably passed a virus onto someone else's computer and that person will have go through the same process to disinfect that computer.  It would be inconvenient to you if your computer got a virus,  it would be irresponsible if you allowed one to be passed to people you communicate with!

For more information, check out this site, http://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips/ST04-005
 

The first five correct answers will win an SCU Data Privacy Day T-Shirt. You must use an SCU email address to win.

The question:  What was the first computer worm on the Internet?  Who developed the worm and what else is he know for being "first" for?

Send your answer to iso@scu.edu.  Winners will be notified via email.

Tips and hints for keeping your information secure.

January 28 is Data Privacy Day, an international event emphasizing the dignity of the individual and the value of privacy in supporting that dignity. At SCU, the Information Security Office will have an information table on the Benson Center Plaza on the 28th from 11:00-1:00 and the 29th from 4:30 to 6:00. Students, faculty, and staff can stop by and learn about information privacy & security--and win T-Shirts!

Learn more about Data Privacy Day from Stay Safe Online.

The mission of the Information Security Office is to support Santa Clara University’s outstanding undergraduate, graduate, and research programs by protecting the university’s information assets.

Ensuring that Santa Clara University’s students, faculty, and staff have access to all of the information resources they need to fulfill their role(s) at the university is the core value of this mission.

The Information Security Office leads efforts to implement industry and higher education best practices in information security.  Examples of these efforts are establishing an information privacy & security awareness program, developing information governance and policy programs, and identifying ways to prevent information security incidents.

SCU established the Information Security Office with the hiring of Robert Henry as Chief Information Security Officer in December 2012.  Bob comes to SCU with over 20 years experience in information technology, the last 5 1/2 years serving as the Information Security Officer for Boise State University.  He started out his career in Higher Education teaching Rhetoric and American Literature at Boise State in 1989.  His teaching career morphed into an IT career when he joined two other faculty members in setting up networked computer classrooms for teaching writing in 1991.  Since '91, he served in systems and network administration before focusing on information security.

Read Bob's philosophy of information security on his personal blog.