The Secure My PC website was designed by the Department of Housing & Residence Life and its Housing Technology Services office in order to help you get the most out of your computer safely and securely.

When you arrive on campus and connect your PC to one of our computer networks, you are joining an on-line community comprised of you, your fellow residents and the staff of the Housing & Residence Life department. Like communities, or neighborhoods, in the "real world," the safety of all neighbors is dependent on the care and vigilance taken by each individual resident.

As the "mayor" of our on-line community, our goal is to provide the safest and most secure computing environment for all of our users. We do this by monitoring our networks and services for suspicious activity and inappropriate behavior. In cooperation with the University's Information Technology Services department and Time Warner's Road Runner Service, we disconnect computers that pose a threat to our networks, services, and our resident's individual PCs.

We also provide access to a wide variety of free or low-cost software for resident use to secure their individual computers.

But we need YOUR help to help keep our on-line community safe and secure. Think of this a neighborhood watch. Install anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software - and keep it up to date! Make sure your operating system is fully patched with all recommended critical and security updates. Take an extra moment to update all of the other software on your PC too, like Microsoft Office, your Internet browser, and your music and gaming software. And, if you encounter suspicious activity on our networks, report it to Housing Technology Services.

And, be a good a neighbor! If you have a knack for installing and updating security related software, give your neighbor a hand or help them get in touch with Housing Technology Services. If you are not sure what to do to keep your own PC safe and secure, use the online tutorials on this website to learn more. Or, contact our offices for assistance.

Together, we can make the Residential Networks safe, secure, and fun for everyone!