Computer Safety - Risky Practices

The costs and complexity of technology can make it tempting to engage in risky behavior. File sharing networks and the variety of free software available online pose large risks, and not to be used without considerable caution if at all. While most free software works well and won't make your computer vulnerable to security issues, there is also a lot that adds "features" that you probably don't want and that could easily damage your computer, your data, or even make you a victim of identity theft.

Don't use file sharing
Programs like Kazaa, E-Donkey, Limewire, and other peer to peer or bittorrent networks allow anyone with an Internet connection to upload whatever files they'd like. This can include worms and trojans that allow hackers to access infected computers without detection. The file sharing programs themselves often come bundled with spyware, so even if you don't download anything from the network your computer is compromised as soon as you install the program.

You also must be sure that any files you share or download are not copyright protected, as specified by federal law and Columbia's Copyright Policy. This is very difficult to ascertain when using file sharing networks, since a work is protected from the moment it is created and does not have to contain a copyright notice to qualify for protection.

BitTorrent is blocked on the shared CUMC/NYP campus network, by default you will not be able to use it. Please see Network Security's announcement regarding BitTorrent for a full explanation.

Research any programs you install
As mentioned above, there are a number of good free and shareware programs that are available to download from the Internet. Many of these are safe and do not contain spyware or other malicious programs, but unless you do research to verify this there's no way to tell. Software that has been licensed or recommended by Columbia, the Medical Center and CUbhis does not require research since we have done the work for you.

If you find other programs that you'd like to install, look for information and ratings from reputable sites online to verify that it has not caused problems on other computers. If you don't find good information, don't install the program!

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