Security

College Computer Safety 101

By Jennifer Martinez

These days getting your older kids ready to head to college involves more than shopping for dorm decor. Colleges are more connected than ever, and computers are at the core of student life. But what many parents don't know is that tech savvy students are also prime targets for computer theft and Internet attacks.

Let's face it, young adults can be lax about security (among other things), and campuses have long been breeding grounds for computer viruses and other Internet threats. Colleges are also full of pranksters, petty thieves, and unreliable roommates.

So before you drop your college kids off for another year of fun and higher learning, it's a smart idea to make sure they have all the information and tools they need to protect their data, property, and privacy. Here's how to prep your college-bound kids for a lesson in computer security.

Lesson 1: Label it and lock it
Put an indelible label on every piece of computer equipment, from laptops to monitors to printers, with your child's name, contact information, and product serial number. Not only does a label discourage theft and black market resale, but it can also be used to identify recovered items.

Consider buying laptop and desktop cable locks. Like a bike lock, these devices secure computers to a desk, table, or whatever solid object is available. They make it much more difficult for thieves to simply walk away with expensive equipment.

Finally, don't underestimate the power of password protection. Passwords -- at both the operating system and file levels -- are the virtual equivalent of locks. Should someone steal a computer, it makes it difficult to access the hard drive's contents. Plus, they operate as a deterrent to that curious roommate or the snoopy lurker who's just waiting for someone to head to the rest room and leave a laptop behind.

Lesson 2: Consider insurance
Fortunately, computer equipment is replaceable, and with the right insurance you may get reimbursed for replacement costs. It's possible your homeowners policy already extends to household members using computers away from home. If it doesn't appear to cover such losses, talk with your agent about adding extra coverage.

Lesson 3: Always back up data
Unlike computers, information is not easily replaced. Imagine all the term papers, class outlines, and presentations that accumulate on a student's computer. Now imagine losing one of those items just before final exams or an important deadline. Talk about a major stressor. That's why backups are crucial.

If they don't have one already, your kids need to set up regular backup schedules, saving all critical materials to a separate medium such as a CD, external hard-drive or online server. These small investments will be more than worth it if the unthinkable occurs, like when that laptop goes down the night before a final.

Lesson 4: Get protection
With large, high-traffic networks, schools are ripe for Internet attacks. Worms and viruses can spread quickly, and email boxes can fill up with annoying, and sometimes dangerous, spam. Students also tend to download a lot of freeware, a common source of unwanted spyware and adware. Plus, there's always the threat of some joy riding computer science student -- or even a professional cybercriminal -- hacking into computers on the campus network.

To keep these potential attacks at bay, students need protection beyond what their college network might provide. At the very least, they need a personal firewall, an updateable virus solution, a spam filter, and some sort of spyware protection.

Lesson 5: Work and play with caution
Caution and Internet savvy are perhaps the best defense against loss. When using the Internet, students need to be wary of sharing files, downloading free games, and responding to unsolicited emails or IMs. They need to take extra precautions when logging into hotspots, and as they open their own bank and charge card accounts, they need to learn how to bank and shop safely online.