Efforts Under Way to Keep Computer System Safe

Durham Public Schools’ IT Department had a busy summer instituting new policies, practices and safeguards to attempt to keep the computer system safe from attacks like the one that caused a crisis at the end of 2008-09.  However, a result of the new safeguards may be less convenience for staff. 

Anti-virus servers and software were installed, new maintenance procedures were put in place at the Data Center, and the district is meeting with providers to ensure that other infrastructure issues do not impact DPS services.  A virus remediation team was formed to ensure that computers of staff members returning to DPS from the summer break are not infected.  IT recommends that any teacher who has not been on the network over the last 30 days bring in their laptop to Hamlin Road to have it updated. 

DPS also has instituted 24-hour monitoring and management of servers and has vendors on call to fix issues that may arise overnight.

All these actions come with a price, including in terms of convenience and effort by employees.  DPS employees must change passwords more often and use more complicated passwords.  Personal computers will not be able to connect via wireless in schools at this time. 

In order to prevent something like this from happening in the future, the IT department is asking all employees to please read the following “Best Practices” and put them into action.

1. Never open emails or attachments from emails from people or organizations that you do not know.  Users should report all suspicious emails to the Help Desk.  Never execute a program (".exe" file) if you do not know what it is/does, or if you do not trust the source. This is particularly the case for files that are sent to you via e-mail, or are downloaded from a website that you do not trust.
2. Do not install any unauthorized software on your assigned computers.  
3. Always be mindful of your passwords; do NOT share passwords with any other user nor should you write down your passwords anywhere.
4. Ensure that you have adequate backups of files. Copy them to a home server location or make a CD or zip drive backups, then store them in a secure location
5. Keep your operating system and application software up to date. Updates are available and are being pushed down to workstations.  If you see a Yellow Shield in your task bar, or notification that you have updates that require installation, please click on the notice to install the updates.