Securing your Devices

Technology is an integral part your life at Milton. You will encounter technology in many of your classes, in your dorms, and of course, in your personal life. You will use many different devices and accounts, and it is important for you to protect your personal information and keep your devices as secure as possible.

The following represent some simple steps you can take to increase your security:

• Passwords All of your devices and accounts should be password protected. As often as possible, these passwords should be different from each other. This will ensure that even if someone discovers one of your passwords, they are not able to access all of your accounts.
  Having strong passwords is also important. In general, you should attempt to make your passwords as long as possible. 8 character passwords are not long enough. Try to aim for 15 characters or above. An easy way to increase password length is to use multiple words: the password “thispasswordisreallygreat” would actually be more secure than “P4$$w0rD!”
  Keeping your passwords private is also important. You shouldn’t give your passwords to anyone else, including your friends. If someone else has your password or is logged in as you, you can be responsible for anything they do on the internet.

• Antivirus Any devices you own should be protected by antivirus software, but this is especially important for Windows computers. We say this not because Windows is less secure than any other operating system, but because so many computers run on Windows that people are more likely to write viruses that attack Windows. There are many free options to protect your computer. This article allows you to compare many free antivirus programs for Windows. If you need recommendations or assistance in installing antivirus software, please contact ATS.

• Browse Carefully At the end of the day, there is no better protection than being cautious. Do not enter your passwords into online forms or submit them by email. Do not click on suspicious links in your email. Be careful about downloading software from untrusted sources. ATS is always happy to check a website, email, or program for security reasons. Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about security.