Computer and Network security

Computer Security
If you use a computer connected to the College's data network - or if you connect to the College's data network from elsewhere - then YOU have a responsibility to observe the following guidelines:

• Keeping your system up to date
• Anti-virus software
• Password protection
• Scan before opening Email and attachments
• Secure your PC
• Trusted sites and trusted software
• Connecting your own computer to the College's network
• Identity theft and spam
• Backing up your files and keeping them secure
• Legitimate use
  

Username Security
When becoming a TUMADARCo's member you will be given passwords for every system that you will be accessing, this is to protect your iformation and others from un-authorised people to gain access to Colleges' data. You should never reveal your password to anybody (even your best friend sat at the next desk). Passwords should be changed frequently (We recommend changing your password once a month). You should try to include numbers and other non-alpha characters in your password. You should steer away from using your child's, patner's or your pet's names as these can easily be guessed. Passwords can be up to 15 characters in length. A good method of password creation is to take a person's initials and date of birth and reverse them. Another trick is to mix uppercase and lowercase characters - passwords are case sensitive.

Important - If a person forgets their passwords, the IT Representative will reset it for you. However, the password will never be revealed by telephone or within an email. The reset password can be given to the user in person or will be sent by post to the designated address. Other methods will need more identity in most cases we will not be able to provide these information

NB: It is an offence to gain access to a computer that you have not been authorised, if found this may lead to disciplinary action to be taken .

Virus Information & Firewall
Many people worry about computer viruses and as most of us know they can be very disruptive and time consuming if your computer accidentally gets infected by one. At TUMADARCo we have in place a Firewall that attempts to filter out viruses before they get onto our system, but they do still get through the firewall, or you may simply bring one in on a floppy disk or Flash disk(USB stick) without realising it. There are however, a few simple golden rules that we can all follow to try and reduce the spread of viruses:

• Scan floppy Flash disks that have arrived from an external source
• Do not open attachments (the most common source for computer viruses) to emails that are from people you do not know or you think may not be  legitimate.
• Read the message first and if you don't trust it, delete it
• If you suspect that a legitimate person has sent an email that contains a virus, reply to that person informing them of your suspicions and ask them to send the message again after they have removed the virus. You may prefer them to send the attachment by another method. After replying you should of course delete their message (do not reply to the message rather create a new email )
• Important - Do not send emails to all your friends warning of a new computer virus or hoax virus. When a new virus appears, it is common for you to email all your friends who in turn email all their friends and the system ends up clogged with messages about the new virus. Instead send the information to your IT Representative personal or email to Support@tumanidsm.ac.tz This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it who will then check the legitimacy and seriousness of the virus or hoax and send a message (one message) to all staff so that everybody gets the same and correct information
• Keep your anti-virus software up to date. ICT Unit Support Officer should have installed Sophos anti-virus software onto your office desktop computer in such a way that it automatically keeps itself updated (as long as you connect to the network regularly). Contact IT Support if you are not sure
• If you use a University laptop that is not connecting to the network regularly, your IS Support should have installed AntiVir anti-virus. You should endeavour to connect it and update the software at least once a week. Contact IT Support if you are not sure.
• If you own a machine at home that you use for College's work, then you ICT Unit can install the Antivir. You will however, need to bring your computer base unit into work to enable the IT Support Officers to install and setup the software. You may prefer to purchase anti-virus software yourself, which is available from most Computer Shops. Once installed, you should be prompted by the software to connect to the Internet and update the software regularly (at least once a week).