Information Security is Everyone’s Concern
You are the key to successful information security. An unprotected computer can be infected with a virus, worm, or Trojan in less than five minutes after being placed on a network. IT Security awareness means understanding the various threats that exist in one's environment and taking reasonable steps to guard against them.
Studies show that most breaches of computer security are the result of something a computer user did or failed to do. This training site will provide you with valuable information about best practices, policies, and procedures for ensuring secure information systems at Florida SouthWestern State College, so you can enjoy a safe computing environment.
Be sure to take the time to read all of the materials on this site carefully.
Storing Sensitive Data
Identity theft can happen to you. Advances in technology have provided criminals with new ways to obtain your personal information. These criminals, or hackers, can enter your computer through the internet and access the personal information you have stored there. Because the goal is to obtain your personal information, it’s extremely important that you make this as difficult as possible. You can help protect yourself, your family, and your friends by making sure that:
- Store sensitive information on your FSW Shared drive where it is backed up.
- Do not store sensitive data on personal devices, local hard drives, USB flash drives, or any non-FSW-approved devices. FSW has other means of file transfer available.
- Your computer is protected with a strong password(s)
- Your application and operating system software are patched.
- When entering your personal information on a website, make sure that the website is encrypted. Look in the browser window for an object that looks like a lock. When the lock is depicted as closed, it indicates that the website is encrypted.
- Check the address line in the browser window for an address that starts with HTTPS://. This is another indication that the website is secured.
- Practice smart internet habits when conducting financial transactions online. Be selective of the sites you visit and check for the security level (the lock) of web pages that require you to enter personal information.
Following these steps will help you in your efforts to secure the sensitive information stored on your computer.
For additional information review the section on Phishing.