Many departments' and all of the ACPUB computing facilities are run by expert
systems administrators. These professionals make certain that the computers are not
only useful, but also secure in an attempt to protect your privacy. Unfortunately, we are all
more likely to put personal, private information on our home or dorm computers which may
not be maintained by computing experts. While it would be nice if we could all
have such professionals come in and take care of the security of our own computers,
this doesn't seem likely in the near future. Until this occurs, there are a few simple
steps that everyone can take to help ensure their own privacy by securing their personal
computer.
We've broken down our suggestions by operating system. To start securing your computer,
select the type of operating system you have from the list on the right. Please note that
these suggestions are only intended to protect your computer from abuse coming in from the
Internet. If you don't trust your roommate or other people with physical access to your
computer, you have a whole different set of problems.
Copyright (c) 2002 by Duke University IT Security Office.
Contact: security@duke.edu