Summer Conference Computing Services: Preparing your Computer for use on the Stanford Network

Unlike hotels and coffee shops, the Office of Information Security has outlined a number of guidelines that every computer must meet before being able to connect to the campus network. These guidelines protect both attendee computers and the Stanford network from malicious software. Your computer must meet these requirements in order to register on the network.

To ensure that your computer meets these guidelines, please do the following three things before coming to campus:

1. AntiVirus Software: Ensure that you have an antivirus program (e.g. Norton AntiVirus) and that it is updated.


2. Operating System Updates: Operating system updates are the most important way to keep your computer protected against malicious software.
   Windows: Use Internet Explorer to visit http://update.microsoft.com and run the Windows Update tool repeatedly until no more high priority updates are available.
   Mac OS: Click the "Software Update" icon from "System Preferences." Select the "Check Now" button to view and install any updates.


3. Passwords: Setting a strong password on your computer helps prevent unauthorized users or malicious software from gaining access to your computer both from the computer itself and remotely over a network.
   Windows: Open "User Accounts" from Control Panel. For every administrator account, click the account and then click the "Create a Password" button to set a password.
   Mac OS: Click the "Accounts" icon from System Preferences. Click the lock at the bottom to authenticate. For every account, click the "Reset Password" button.