It is the responsibility of every computer user on the School of Medicine network to maintain their computer or “lock it down” against viruses, hackers, malicious software, and any other threats which jeopardize the integrity of our network’s security.
The following procedures have been provided as guidelines to the steps you can follow, but TDS recommends that you have your computing support staff go through a more thorough “lock down” procedure on your computer.
Download and install the latest software updates for your Operating System
- For Mac OS X: Support Downloads (listed by device)
For Windows: Open Internet Explorer and select “Windows Update” from the tools menu. This will update Microsoft Office software at the same time.
Download and install “Essential Stanford Software”
Essential Stanford Software (ESS) is a collection of applications that will help you plug into the Stanford University Network (SUNet) and gain access to Stanford's computing services. ESS includes applications to keep your password secure, protect against computer viruses, send and read email, browse the web, and exchange files.
Software is provided for both Macintosh computers and Windows-based PCs: http://ess.stanford.edu
Anti-Virus, Malware Protection, and Firewall
In order to fully protect Stanford’s data on your computer you should download and install SCEP, anti-virus and anti-malware software (freely available to Stanford users at http://ess.stanford.edu). It is important that you ensure that the software is configured for automated updates.
The built-in Windows Firewall will also reduce the risk of intrusion.
For more about securing your computer, see the information available from TDS Information Security.
Backups
It is important to back up your data on a regular basis. This prevents loss of data in the event of theft or hardware failure. In addition to any local backups you might make, we provide automatic backup software (CrashPlan) for any computer that handles Stanford information. For more about CrashPlan, visit http://med.stanford.edu/datasecurity.
To learn more about backup options, visit the TDS Information Security backups page, or submit a HelpSU request.
VPN
When accessing Stanford’s systems from home or while travelling, you may be required to use VPN software to successfully connect to the Stanford Computing Resources. When connecting remotely, you should use VPN software to secure your connection.
The VPN client encrypts your connection, and is available at http://vpn.stanford.edu. Please read the documentation on the Off-campus Access page and the TDS Information Security VPN page.