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Introduction

Students are prime targets for computer theft and Internet attacks. Help your kids secure their information and equipment as they prepare for the school year.

Campus threats

Students can be lax about security, and campuses are breeding grounds for computer viruses and other Internet threats. It’s important to take precautions as you send your kids off to school—make sure they’re equipped to protect their computers, their information, and their privacy.

Label it and lock it

Put an indelible label on every piece of computer equipment. Not only does a label discourage theft and black market resale, but it can also be used to identify recovered items.

Purchase laptop and desktop cable locks. Like a bike lock, these devices secure computers to a desk, table, or whatever solid object is available. They make it much more difficult for thieves to walk away with expensive equipment.

Don’t underestimate the power of password protection. Strong passwords—at both the operating system and file levels—make it difficult for a thief to access the hard drive’s contents.

Consider insurance

Fortunately, computer equipment is replaceable, and with the right insurance you may get reimbursed for replacement costs. It’s possible your homeowners policy already extends to household members using computers away from home. If it doesn’t appear to cover such losses, talk with your agent about adding extra coverage.

Emphasize backups

Unlike equipment, information is not easily replaced. Imagine all of the term papers, class outlines, and presentations that accumulate on a student’s computer. Now imagine losing one of those items just before final exams or an important deadline. Devastating. That’s why backups are crucial.

If they don’t have one already, your kids need to set up regular backup schedules and save all critical materials to a separate medium. That means you may have to invest in an external drive or a disk burner. You may also want to purchase a program like Norton Save & Restore, which not only creates automatic backups, but makes it easy to recover data in the event of a system crash. These small investments are more than worth it when that laptop goes down the night before a final.

Equip them with quality protection

With large, high-traffic networks, schools are ripe for Internet attacks. Worms and viruses can spread quickly, and email boxes can fill up with annoying, and sometimes dangerous, spam. Students also tend to download a lot of freeware, a common source of unwanted spyware and adware. Plus, there’s always the threat of a professional cybercriminal hacking into computers on the campus network.

To keep these potential attacks at bay, students need the best protection available. At the very least, they need a firewall protection, an updateable virus solution, antispam filter, and some sort of spyware protection. Fortunately, you can get all these defenses, and more, from Norton Internet Security. With a valid student ID, your kids may be able to get discounted Symantec security products at their school bookstores.

Encourage them to work and play with caution

Caution and Internet savvy are the best defense against loss. Students need to be wary of sharing files, downloading free games, and responding to unsolicited emails or IMs. They need to take extra precautions when logging into hotspots, and as they open their own bank and credit card accounts, they need to learn how to bank and shop safely online.

Conclusion

Colleges and high schools are more connected than ever, and computers are at the core of student life. As your kids prepare for school this fall, make sure they have all the information and tools they need to protect their data, property, and privacy.

Related Links

Why Backups are a Must
Caution is Key at Hotspots
Shop and Bank Safely Online
Product: Norton Save & Restore: Data Recovery - System Recovery - Computer Backup
Product: Norton Internet Security: Spyware Protection - Anti Virus Software
Product: Norton Internet Security for Macintosh: Mac Spyware Protection - Parental Control
Product: Norton 360: Best Antivirus - Antispyware - Firewall Protection
Add-on Pack: Antispam protection
Norton Downloads
Viruses & Threats: Conficker Worm (aka April Fools 2009, April 1st Virus)