Network Security: What you need to know
Wheaton's community depends heavily upon electronic services, from its business systems to electronic mail, to accomplish its mission. In support of that mission Wheaton's information services objective is to maintain an open, collaborative and secure computing environment. There is an inherent conflict between open and secure; one that is difficult to balance. We have an obligation to provide accurate and reliable information to any authorized user.
Our electronic services are increasingly targeted by viruses, junk mail (SPAM) senders and intruders. We are working to protect our networked resources and want to keep you posted on our progress.
- Viruses: LIS has taken steps to control viruses through central system monitoring and licensing antivirus software for all computers used by faculty, staff and students. We block certain email attachments that typically spread viruses; we will stop them at our "front door" before they enter our systems. For more information, please see Wheaton College's Email Attachment Practice. Some extensions will be quaratined for your review before being delievered to your Inbox; pay attention to your Quarantine.
- Junk mail: LIS is currently screening for junk mail and will continue to research the best practices for its control while being sensitive to the value our community places upon academic freedom and various points of view.
- Intruders: Intruders present the biggest challenge to the openness of our computing environment and to the viability of our electronic services and the critical information they house. Intruders routinely attempt to break into the central servers that run our electronic systems. If successful, they could damage or steal the information that is housed there or lurk, stealing passwords that could be used to access other campus systems and beyond. LIS monitors Wheaton's servers, looking for suspicious activity. LIS monitors national security alerts and constantly updates operating systems to respond to known vulnerabilities. In addition, LIS is researching software and hardware solutions to decrease the risk from intrusions.
How You Can Help
You can help maintain our critical network and data assets by practicing good password management adhering to the college's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), and protecting privacy.
Good Password Management
A new, stricter password policy will go into effect for all members of Wheaton's community in April. This new policy will require you to change your password every 6 months. You will be reminded by email that you have not changed your password after 170 days. Please note that the passwords you have used in the past are not acceptable.
A new password must.....
The new password policy will at first only apply to accessing email and network file storage. Over time, more services will be incorporated into this infrastructure (like Blackboard for example). See below for instructions on how to change those passwords as well.
In addition it is recommended that you...
1. Keep all your passwords private.
2. Until we are able to provide a more robust, single sign-on authentication environment, please use different passwords for the various Wheaton systems you access Banner, email, Meeting Maker, Blackboard, etc. It is particularly important to keep your Banner and WINDOW passwords separate from your others given the sensitivity to the information housed there.
3. Never share your password or request it over the phone.
4. Do not allow a computer, or a service provider, to automatically save your password.
5. Do not make your passwords from any words or names, either backwards or forwards, that you can find in a dictionary it takes only a few seconds for an intruder to throw a whole dictionary at your account.
Change Your Passwords
1. For general electronic services, like email and file services, go to the password changing page on this page:
http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/IT_S/email/
or directly to the password change page at:
https://password.wheatoncollege.edu
2. For WINDOW, after logging into WINDOW, select "Personal Information" and the PIN change option is available. Note that WINDOW requires a 6-character PIN.
3. For Blackboard, after logging into Blackboard, select "Personal Information" and then the password change option.
4. For Banner, after logging into Banner, type GUAPSWD into the Direct Access space.
Acceptable Use Policy
Wheaton has policies regarding appropriate use of our networked resources. Your use of Wheaton's network indicates your acceptance of these policies; please be sure you have read them:
Students - http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/policies/aup.html
Faculty and Staff - http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/policies/aupFS.html
Use Your Wheaton ID Card
Your Wheaton ID is now used to access Wheaton's many electronic resources, so you should take steps to protect it. Carry your Wheaton ID card with you. Use it when making routine transactions, such as checking out library books and eating in campus dining facilities. Please note: The barcode found on the back of your Wheaton ID card will still be needed to check out libarary materials, view your circulation record and use the patron self-renewal function in ELIZA.
Clear the Cache on the Public Computers You Use
Do not walk away from a public or shared computer unless you have first logged out of every single service you've touched during that session. Just closing a window is not enough. Look for a log out button -- use it -- and then quit the application.
Most web browser software applications save some information about your activity and reuse it as you work to improve their performance. Safeguard yourself and your personal information by clearing this information out of the browser's memory before you walk away from a public machine.
Here's how to clear your browser's cache file:
Internet Explorer (Windows):
Tools > Internet Options > Temporary Internet Files > choose Delete Files and then choose Delete Cookies
Internet Explorer (Macintosh):
Edit > Preferences (see screen snapshot)
Safari (Macintosh): Safari > Empty Cache
As always, please call the Support Center (x3900) if you need help with password changes or have any other computer support questions.