Back To School - Protect your Computers
Modbee.com | The Modesto Bee: "This year, school officials are stressing that parents and students add something to their back-to-school, high-tech shopping lists that's often overlooked: security programs.
Schools throughout the Northern San Joaquin Valley are urging that any computers bought, built or upgraded for educational purposes have the latest anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
'We are preaching the security issue,' said Chuck Staley, director of technology at Central Catholic High School in Modesto. 'We are really pushing students to make sure their home computers have anti-spyware software on it so they don't bring spyware to the school on their thumbdrives or burned CDs.'
A thumbdrive is a small, portable stick of memory that can be used to transfer files between computers.
Spyware often installs on computers without the user's permission or even being aware of it. These programs then monitor how the computer is used, often stealing personal and financial information.
With students sending out electronic applications to college and for college loans, they could be more susceptible to having their identities stolen by spyware, Staley said.
That's also why he urges students to encrypt their personal information.
There are many free programs that will turn documents, e-mail and other computer files into a nearly unbreakable code. His favorite is a program called PGP, short for Pretty Good Privacy."
Schools throughout the Northern San Joaquin Valley are urging that any computers bought, built or upgraded for educational purposes have the latest anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
'We are preaching the security issue,' said Chuck Staley, director of technology at Central Catholic High School in Modesto. 'We are really pushing students to make sure their home computers have anti-spyware software on it so they don't bring spyware to the school on their thumbdrives or burned CDs.'
A thumbdrive is a small, portable stick of memory that can be used to transfer files between computers.
Spyware often installs on computers without the user's permission or even being aware of it. These programs then monitor how the computer is used, often stealing personal and financial information.
With students sending out electronic applications to college and for college loans, they could be more susceptible to having their identities stolen by spyware, Staley said.
That's also why he urges students to encrypt their personal information.
There are many free programs that will turn documents, e-mail and other computer files into a nearly unbreakable code. His favorite is a program called PGP, short for Pretty Good Privacy."
posted by Ben | 
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