You use it for everything, but how well do you understand you email program when it comes to security and virus protection? The Office of Information Technology has recently published a comprehensive Security Information Site that includes draft email guidelines that will help make your email secure, efficient and virus-free. A few tips include:
1. Download and install McAfee anti-virus software
Viruses often spread through email attachments and can cripple a networked community by removing important files or swamping network service and support from internally-generated spam. Talk to anyone who's had to rebuild their computer or apologize to recipients of unwanted email, and you'll realize it's worth the time to download virus protection software. If you haven't downloaded McAfee already, it's available to all campus users through myUMBC's "Business Services" tab. Detailed installation instructions--and a very useful virus email-alert service--are also available on the OIT Security Information Site.
2. If you use MS Outlook or Outlook Express, update your software often
Because Microsoft software is used so widely, it's a common target for hackers trying to exploit weaknesses. If you use Outlook or Outlook Express, you have to be particularly vigilant about applying Microsoft's Outlook upgrades (or "patches"). There is no email alert service to announce when Outlook updates are available, but OIT is committed to keeping a current link on the OIT Security Information Site. Make a habit to check it regularly.
3. Don't respond to requests to be removed from a mailing list
Unless you know and trust the sender, it's generally a bad idea to respond to email messages offering to unsubscribe you from a list. The initial "offer" to unsubscribe is likely a spam attack itself, meant to reach as many people as possible. By responding, you only confirm a valid email address that someone can target with more sinister spam later on.
4. Use your mail client to filter unwanted email and SPAM
Wading through junk email and SPAM in your inbox is time consuming. At a campus level, it is difficult to block SPAM without inadvertently blocking legitimate mail. However, most email programs can filter email. Using this to block repeated emails from a specific address is an option to consider. If your email program does not have this capability, OIT has a utility named procmail to assist you. It has to be activated from inside your UMBC unix account. If you need help installing this, contact the OIT Help Desk at (410) 455-3838 or helpdesk@umbc.edu.
5. Get a second, non-UMBC, email account for personal email
UMBC policy does not prohibit use of UMBC email accounts for personal communications that are not intended for outside commercial activities and are not in violation of other university policies. However, UMBC email is subject to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and if lawfully requested, your personal email can be released. To avoid this result, users with an outside ISP should use that account for personal use, or establish a second account with one of the free web-based email providers such as Hotmail or Yahoo. Most email clients can be easily configured to support multiple email accounts.
For more information on email security and virus protection, visit the OIT Security Information Site at http://www.umbc.edu/oit/security.
