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Safe Computing
Video
Safe computing is a big deal for the government and corporations, but what about people like you and me? On this episode we discuss the importance of good computer hygiene and how a few steps can ensure that your computer is not dishing out all your family secrets.
Guests
Phil Kachelmyer
Phil Kachelmyer
Phil Kachelmyer is director of University Computer Services and Chief of Staff for Networking and Telecommunications Services at the University of Minnesota. He has used computers since 1969. Since then, computer use has increased exponentially to the point of ubiquity.
Megan Carney
Megan Carney
Megan Carney has a B.S. in computer science and a B.A. in English. She also received a masters in information security from Purdue University. After a short time in private security consulting, she came to work at the University of Minnesota and has been with the Office of Information Technology's security and assurance department for two years.
Links
hoaxbusters.ciac.org is a Web site that allows you to see if an e-mail you've received is authentic or a hoax.
safecomputing.umn.edu is the University's safe computing Web site maintained by the Office of Information Technology. It provides general safe computing tips, how-to's, and information about different types of security threats.
privacyrights.org/ar/ChronDataBreaches.htm is a site that lists all data breaches in chronological order reported in the United States.
Phishing
When spammers send you e-mail that appears to be from a legitimate organization and ask for your account information such as your identification number and password. They then use this information to send computer viruses to others.
Patch
A computer program that fixes security problems in your operating system.
URL Obfuscation
When a URL in an e-mail or Web site looks like it's going to a legitimate location, but is actually going to a different, illegitimate site.
Certificate
A digital certification that a Web site is what it claims to be. These are issued from a trusted source and for limited periods of time. If a browser alerts you to a certificate error, it could be because the site is not legitimate or because it has expired.