IAB Computer Resources

An Introduction for

IAB Office Staff

Overview

Computer security Mercury IAB web site

Computer Security

The only truly secure computer is not connected to a network, and has no removable storage, such as: – A floppy disk drive– USB ports for jump drives– A Zip drive

This is not an option, so security and functionality are always going to be a trade-off.

Security Overview: what can I do?

Computer Security– ALWAYS password protect ALL accounts on your

computer with strong passwords. – Keep Windows XP up to date.– Install AntiVirus and keep it up to date.– Install AntiSpyware and keep it up to date.– Use a Software Firewall.

Computer Hygiene – Use Disk Cleaner program.– Use Disk Defragmenter program.

Accounts and Passwords

Windows has a hidden Administrator account– Check your Administrator account to see if it has

a password. If it doesn’t, call Jock to set it.

Make sure that all other accounts have passwords.

Use strong passwords!

Accounts and Passwords 2

Workstation PW: Windows password used to log into your computer.

Mercury PW: used to log into Mercury. IAB Web Utilities PW: used to log into IAB

web edit pages, the Faculty Restricted page, or IAB User Utilities.

UAF email PW: maintained by OIT, must be changed every 4 months.

Radius PW: used to connect from off campus via VPN, must be changed every 4 months.

Strong passwords

Many viruses and worms use an internal dictionary lookup table.

A strong password is one that cannot be guessed:– No words or names– Include capitals, numbers and punctuation

Examples:– F@1rB@nk$ – not OK (for UAF email)– Mrci7yo! (“My rusty car is 7 years old!”)– Purple#Lobster21 (2 unrelated words with a number

and a symbol)

Password Safe

One of the problems with strong passwords is remembering them.

Use Password Safe to store passwords in an encrypted database.

Download from P:\programs\ drive or http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net

Password Safe can also create strong passwords for you, if you wish.

Password Safe screenshots

Keep Windows up to date

Use Automatic Update – Desktop computers: set to automatically install

If you use this option, always save any work before leaving, as it will likely reboot your computer.

– Laptop computers: set to “Tell me when updates are available”

Use this option so that you don’t shut off the computer in the middle of a download.

If updates are available, please install them.

Keep Mac OS X up to date

There have been many more exploits for Macs in the recent past.

Keeping your OS up to date will help protect your computer.

Turn on Software Update in the System Preferences.

I suggest running Symantec Antivirus as well.

Malware: Viruses and Worms

Viruses are pieces of malicious software that require a user to do something in order to spread.

Worms are pieces of malicious software that can spread on their own, without user intervention. These are more dangerous than viruses.

Both types are used to make money for their writers by taking control of your computer.

Malware: Viruses and Worms 2

Antivirus Protection:– Symantec Antivirus (SAV) Corporate Edition– UAF has a site license, so it is free and

supported.– Version 10.1.4 is the latest – you should have that

version.– Can be downloaded from www.uaf.edu/oit/ftp and

installed over an older version. – Install as “Unmanaged” and schedule updates.

Never install more than one AV program – they don’t play well together.

Malware: Viruses and Worms 3

Set Live Update to update daily– File > Schedule Updates – Set update to “Daily” and the time to a time that

the computer is likely to be turned on. Create a Scheduled Scan

– Scheduled Scans > New Scheduled Scan– Set it for a time that the computer will likely be

turned on.– I suggest either daily or weekly scheduled scans.

Malware: Spyware and Adware

Spyware and Adware are basically the same thing

They are programs that monitor what you do and report back to the “mother ship.”

Some spyware is benign, others are truly malicious and can steal passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc.

Malware: Spyware and Adware 2: security programs

AdAware: manual spyware scanner Spybot Search and Destroy: manual spyware

scanner and protector. SpywareBlaster: protects your browser from

going to malicious web sites inadvertantly. SpywareGuard: protects your registry from

unwanted changes. Windows Defender: automatic spyware

scanner. Free, from Microsoft.

Malware: Spyware and Adware 3

All anti-spyware programs should be updated regularly (e.g. weekly).

Scanners should be run every time you update.

Software Firewall

A firewall blocks network traffic to and/or from your computer. Important to have installed.

Windows Firewall– Installed by default in XP Service Pack 2.– Only blocks incoming, not outgoing

Other options (also block outgoing):– ZoneAlarm– Sygate– R-Firewall

Computer Hygiene 1

Disk Cleanup program– Programs, installers and browsers leave many

temporary files on your computer– Disk Cleanup will delete most of them.– Start > All Programs > Accessories > System

Tools > Disk Cleanup.

Computer Hygiene 2

Disk Defragmenter program– As Windows saves, copies, and deletes files, your

hard drive becomes fragmented: files are split into many chunks.

– Defrag will re-assemble them into a single chunk.– Start > All Programs > Accessories > System

Tools > Disk Defragmenter.

Computer Maintenance Folder

I create a folder on the desktop called “Computer Maintenance” on new computers.

Shortcuts to all the Security and Hygiene programs.

Reserve 30 minutes per week to update and run each manual program.

If you want this on your computer, call me.

Questions on Computer Hygiene?

Mercury: Overview

Mercury runs on the Novell Netware operating system (rather than Windows or Mac OSX).

What does it do? Mercury is the IAB/B&W server:– File server (most important to you!)– Web server– FTP server– Application server

The Novell Login Screen 1

The Novell Login Screen 2

The Novell Login Screen 3

After you log in:

When you log in to Mercury, you will see a couple of windows pop up.

The first window shows the results of your login script. If it closes on its own, there were no errors. Call Jock if there were errors.

The second window is the Novell Application Launcher. This can be closed if you don’t need any of the apps in that window.

Login Script Results

Novell Application Launcher

Mercury: Functions for IAB Staff

Networked Drives: when you log onto Mercury, you will see a number of “network drives” under My Computer. These are directories on Mercury.

– M:\ is your personal space– Store individual or non-shared stuff on your M:\ drive.– P:\ is a public drive, accessible to anyone with a Mercury

account– Shared Folders will show up as mapped drives, depending on

your group (e.g. Director’s Office, Business Office, Faculty).– Store most of your work here, as Mercury is backed up

weekly.– Others have access to all of the Shared Folders.

Mercury Networked Drives

Mercury Shared Folders 1

Be careful when using the Shared Folders– If you drag and drop a file into the wrong folder, it

may appear lost. Use “Search” to find it.– If you rename or move a file or folder, another

user that needs access may not be able to find it.– Any changes to the file and folder structure may

break another user’s ability to connect. The shared folders are used by many staff

members, so please think before making changes.

Mercury Shared Folders 2

We have a lot of flexibility on Mercury to:– Give access to only certain folders– Mount individual folders as networked drives

Huh?– This means that if a staff member only needs

access to one subfolder, we can set it up so that is the only folder he or she sees.

For example, DNA Core Lab staff may only need access to their folder, not the whole Shared Folder.

Shared Folders

Mercury: Personal Web Sites

Anyone with a Mercury account can have a personal web site.

Create a folder called “public.www” on your M:\ drive.

Anything in this folder is automatically posted to the web.

The URL is www.iab.uaf.edu/~firstname_lastname.

Detailed instructions are at http://www.iab.uaf.edu/comp/instructions.html

Mercury: salvage deleted files

Right-click on the red “N” in your system tray. Choose “Netware utilities”, then “Salvage” UAF_MERCURY

– USER Users

– firstname_lastname (your user account)

Find the deleted file and select “Salvage” Files are periodically purged, so do this as

soon as you can.

Mercury: salvage deleted files

Mercury: “Disk Full” and User limits

You may get an error message saying that the disk is full when you try to save a file.

This does not mean that disk is full, but that you have filled up your Mercury disk quota.

Please first delete unneeded files and folders.

Call Jock to increase your quota size, if needed.

Questions about Mercury?

The IAB Web Site

Database driven Maintained by Jock Irons, and Marie Gilbert Please, please, please send us updates

regularly!– New or leaving staff, updated office or phone

numbers: Marta, Chandra– New or graduated students: Carol, Jobie,

Shannon– Seminars, social events, etc.: Faculty host, LSS

coordinator, etc.

The IAB Web Site: contents

About IAB Administration Computer Resources Events and Seminars Facilities Faculty, Staff and Student directory Human Resources News and Fact Sheets Programs and Initiatives Publications User Utilities

Administration Pages

Many useful pages under this link:– IAB Contact information– Forms– Mail/Shipping– Safety courses, contacts and forms– Travel information and forms– Vehicle info and reservations

Computer Resources page

Getting started (e.g. for new faculty, staff) Safe Computing Faculty, Staff and Student links How-to’s and FAQ’s Report computer problems

Faculty, Staff, Student Directory

All IAB, B&W, AKCFWRU personnel should be in this database.

Can search by category, first or last name, email address, or phone number.

Please help us keep this database up to date if your personal information changes.

Send email to fyiab@uaf.edu

Faculty, Staff, Student Directory

Human Resources page

Currently open IAB jobs are posted here. HR-related forms are posted here (also

posted on the Forms page under Administration).

Maintained by Marta and Chandra.

User Utilities and Restricted Pages

Password protected– NOT the same password as Mercury, unless you

set it that way (recommended).

Change Password utility Send group email Generate phone lists

Login to User Utilities

User Utilities

User Utilities 2