• Windows Exploit Found
  Sept. 30, 2004 - This exploit in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, and other products allows others to take control of your computer. Your action is required to secure your computer and the Bethel Network. Please read this important information about the exploit.
  
  
• Fall Start-up Information
  Your Windows XP computer must be secured with SP2 and current antivirus software to be a member of our network community and elligible for ITS support. Bethel ITS has published important information about installing SP2.
  
  
• Security Information About Wireless Access Points
  If You Use a Wireless Access Point/Router, It Must Be Secured! Unsecured access points will be removed from the network. Learn how to secure your access point.
  

Securing your computer is not optional, it is your responsibility as a member of Bethel's Residential Network community. When computers display network activity characteristic of viruses, spyware, and hackers, they are removed from the network (BlackHoled) until the computer no longer poses a threat to the community. An unsecured computer is vulnerable to virus infections, unwanted spying and monitoring, remote control and data and identity theft.

Securing and defending a computer involves multiple components working together to form a single barrier against attacks. If one component fails or is missing, the barrier is no longer secure and the computer is vulnerable. Making sure all of the components are in place and working properly is what "Smart Computing" is all about.

Build a Barrier Smart computing begins by building a secure barrier between you and the threats that lurk in the Internet. Below you will find links to information that will assist you in building an effective barrier. After your barrier is in place, you also need to make sure that your own actions do not impair your computer's safety.
Don't Sabotage Your Barrier Even with a well built barrier in place, your own actions can sabotage it. For instance, email attachments, even if they are from someone you know may be viruses and should not be opened unless you were expecting them. Did you know many of the free programs available on the Internet are spyware? Don't download toolbars, or other software from the internet unless you are positive it is safe.

If you do not regularly apply system updates to your computer, it will NOT be protected from viruses, worms and hackers. Get software updates now.

If your antivirus program does not update itself frequently, it will NOT stop viruses from infecting your computer! This critical piece of software must be configured correctly to protect your computer. Get an antivirus program and information on how to use it.

A Firewall can be very effective at blocking certain types of attacks. In the last year, several devastating Internet worm infections were preventable with a firewall. Additionally, a properly configured firewall can prevent attacks from hackers. Get more information about using a firewall.

Spyware has emerged as one of the greatest privacy threats on the Internet. In addition to "watching you, it often breaks networking and Internet browsing software on computers. If you are are not regularly scanning for it, your computer is very likely to be infested with it. Get a spyware/adware removal program and more information.