CMU, students use several methods to protect Internet security

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CMU is doing its best to avoid virtual vulnerability after hackers brought several high profile institutions to their knees in recent months.

CMU’s Office of Information Technology uses various methods to keep potential data swipers out of the network.

“We use firewalls and different types of software to protect ourselves from hackers,” OIT technical writer Kole Taylor said.

The security measures seem to have paid off so far, as Taylor said though OIT’s systems may be slow at times, he has yet to see the CMU’s campus network security compromised.

“There have been no hackers that have broken into our system that I know of,” he said.

Students have figured out their own ways to keep their virtual presences safe from viruses and other unwelcome intruders.

Harbor Beach alumnus Nathaniel Kish said avoiding Facebook scams is one of the easiest ways to avoid compromising an account or an entire system.

“You see those viruses all the time with a quote like, ‘You’ll never believe the embarrassing thing this high-school girl did,’ and it’ll have a picture of a good looking girl in skimpy clothing beneath it,” he said.

Kish said when a Facebook user clicks that link, the link will automatically distribute itself to all of the Facebook user’s friends.

Next thing you know, he said, a lot of users have been compromised.

Other than avoiding Facebook scams, Kish said he takes other common sense precautions to protect his Internet security.

“A lot of times people don’t go to secure sites, or when they log on to sites that offer secure browsing, they don’t enable them, either through ignorance or laziness,” he said.

Several options are available for users looking to protect their computers, both for free and based on subscriptions.

“Any (protective) software will protect in some way against hackers,” said Belmont senior Paul McFall. “I use some software my dad’s office uses on it’s entire system. The system is made by Symantec.”