Protecting Your Investment
Protect Your Personal Device!
A few tips on protecting your investment.
For college students, and for their parents, a computer is a significant investment, both financially and personally. Computers have become hubs for communication, work and entertainment – they are in many ways at the very center of a college student's day-to-day life. However, this increasing reliance on computers comes with another cost—it requires an increasing awareness of how to protect your computer, and your data, against outside threats. While the suggestions below are general, at Elmira College we are committed to helping our students protect their PCs against contemporary dangers.
For complete information about connecting your computer to the Elmira College network and the Internet go to http://sites.elmira.edu/it/ and choose Help Desk from the left navigation bar.
Before You Arrive on Campus
Please take these important steps to protect your computer before you arrive on campus. Your computer must have current and updated antivirus software and system updates installed before it can connect to the Elmira College network.
System updates and antivirus protection
- Windows 10 periodically checks for updates so you don't have to. When an update is available, it's automatically downloaded and installed, keeping your device up to date with the latest features.? Read how to check for the latest updates at any time.
- To protect your Macintosh computer, use the built-in Software Update program, which automatically checks weekly for updates. For more information see how to update the software on your Mac
- Windows Defender Antivirus is built-in to Windows 10. No configuration or subscriptions are necessary. Note that if you have another antivirus software installed, you will not be able to use Windows Defender until this other software is removed.
- Macintosh: Information Technology recommends Sophos Home Edition: home.sophos.com , which is free and protects Macs from malware, viruses, ransomware, and inappropriate websites.Follow the instructions to create an online account and download and install the software to protect your computer.
Recommended Browsers
- We recommend installing Firefox and Google Chrome on your Mac or Windows computer. Both browsers work best with Gmail and other G Suite applications and the Canvas learning management system.
- Firefox Quantum is worth trying because it is not only fast and secure but also includes built-in ad blocking and protects against tracking through a simple setting.
When You Arrive on Campus
When you first plug your PC or Mac into the Elmira College networked you will be asked to register your computer with your EC username and password. Your computer must have the latest system, antivirus, and spyware updates installed to gain full network access, including the Internet.