Resources

• Safe Computing
  • On Guard Online (www.onguardonline.gov) - The Federal Trade Commission offers advice about online safety in a variety of topics.
  • Consumer Reports Online Security Guide (www.consumerreports.org/.../cyber-insecurity-hub.htm) - Consumer Reports presents a variety of reports and recommendations about safety while using the Internet.
  • Looks Too Good To Be True (www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com) - This website can help you recognize and avoid Internet fraud. Site maintained by the US government's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov)
  • NCSA National Cyber Security Alliance (www.StaySafeOnline.org) - Tips for safe computing. NCSA is the annual sponsor of Nation Cyber Security Awareness Month. See our Events page for details about local participation.
  • USC CAS Common Sense Security Tips (security.cas.sc.edu/security.html) - USC College of Arts and Sciences, tips for safe computing.
  • Credit Protection, Initial Fraud Alert - Do you believe you are at risk for identity theft or other abuse of your credit record? This is our web page that tells you how to place an "Initial Fraud Alert" on your credit records, as an extra measure of safety.
  • FTC Identity Theft Advice (www.ftc.gov/idtheft) - The Federal Trade Commission offers advice about dealing with identity theft.
  • USC Identity Theft Advice (www.sc.edu/identity) - USC offers advice on dealing with identity theft.


• Threats on the Net (Viruses, Hoaxes, Scams, etc.)
  • Ball State Univ - Viruses, Hoaxes and Scams (www.bsu.edu/web/security/vhs/) - A list of recent threats on the Internet, as compiled by Ball State University
  • Snopes (www.snopes.com) - A searchable database of urban legends, hoaxes, and scams ... as well as true stories. Also lists articles by category and date.
  • SANS Internet Storm Center (isc.sans.org) - A collaborative effort to provide a free analysis and warning service to thousands of Internet users and organizations


• Useful Downloads
  • Securing Your Home PC for Free (PDF) - Our list of free resources to help you secure your home PC. Free software and guides.
  • Securing Your Home Mac for Free (PDF) - Our list of free resources to help you secure your home Mac. Free software and guides.
  • File Hippo Update Checker (www.filehippo.com/updatechecker/) - Install this utility, and run it weekly. It will help you keep the software on your computer up-to-date, which greatly reduces your risk of malware infection.
  • Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com) - This "Live CD" boots a version of the Linux operating system. Run from the CD without installing, in order to add a high degree of protection for your installed operating system and data while doing risky computing (e.g. turning the kids loose to play games or surf the net). Or install it (for advanced users only!) for long-term access to the free (open source) operating system and large collection of applications.
  • Edubuntu (www.edubuntu.org) - This "Live CD" boots a version of the Linux operating system. This variant of the Ubuntu version above includes much more educational ("edutainment") software.


• Vulnerability Databases
  • Secunia Advisories (secunia.com/advisories) - Searchable database of vulnerabilities, maintained by Secunia
  • NIST NVD (nvd.nist.gov) - National Vulnerability Database. Searchable database of vulnerabilities, maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security
  • SANS Top 20 (www.sans.org/top20) - Top 20 vulnerabilities in each of several categories, as rated by SANS


• Training Resources
  • SANS Training (www.sans.org/sans_training.php) - SANS provides "real world" information security related training for all skill levels and IT specialties.
  • SANS Partnership Series (www.sans.org/partnership) - A program for discounted training.
  • EDUCAUSE Security Professionals Conference (www.educause.edu/SecurityConference) - a series of workshops
  • Cornell Institute for Computer Policy and Law (www.sce.cornell.edu/exec/programs.php?v=12185&s=Overview) - An intensive three and a half-day seminar examining the impact that widespread use of the Internet has on college and university policies, procedures, and judicial systems.


• Suggested Reading
  • SANS Information Security Primer (www.sans.org/reading_room/whitepapers/basics/443.php) - Published by SANS, this document gives an overview of the major topics related to Information Security.
  • SANS Reading Room (www.sans.org/reading_room) - The Reading Room contains community contributed white papers on a variety of information security topics.
  • EDUCAUSE Cybersecurity (connect.educause.edu/term_view/Cybersecurity) - IT Security, geared for higher education.
  • EDUCAUSE Security Task Force (www.educause.edu/SecurityTaskForce/1202) - Inter-institutional task force which endeavors to improve IT security in higher education.
  • IT Security RSS Feed - New articles, USC-specific information, and links will be regularly posted.
  • IT Security OPML file of suggested news feeds - This file contains a number of feeds that you can import into most RSS Feed Readers such as Bloglines, Google Reader, Feed Demon, etc. Import it, keep the feeds you like, delete the ones you don't.
  • The Security Engineering Book (www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/book.html) - This is the free, online version of Dr. Ross Anderson's textbook on Security Engineering.
  • Important USC Information Security Related publications.
    • IT 1.06 (www.sc.edu/policies/it106.html) - Network Access and Acceptable Use
    • Protecting the SSN (registrar.sc.edu/html/fac_staff/ssn.stm) - Registrar's statement on the importance of Social Security Numbers
    • BUSF 4.11 (www.sc.edu/policies/busf411.html) - Credit/Debit Card Processing Policy
    • ACAF 7.02 (www.sc.edu/policies/acaf702.html) - Data Access Policy


• Suggested Viewing/Listening
  • IT Security OPML file of suggested podcasts - This file contains a number of feeds that you can import into most Podcast Players or such as iTunes, Miro, or your preferred feed reader. Import it, keep the feeds you like, delete the ones you don't.
  • Bots, Bugs & Break-Ins (uts.sc.edu/showcase/breakin.shtml) - In April & May of 2008, the IT Security Office gave a series of presentations on topics of Information Security, Privacy, and Current Threats. Videos of these presentations are available online.


• Other Related UTS Departments
  • UTS Network Services (uts.sc.edu/network) - Many of the systems traditionally considered as a part of Information Security are actually managed by Network Services.  This includes firewall management.
  • UTS IT Service Management (uts.sc.edu/Support/index.shtml) - ITSM offers hourly and SLAs for desktop support and offers Student support for virus/worm/network authentication issues.
  • UTS department list (uts.sc.edu/department.shtml) - The complete list of UTS departments.


• Security For Developers
  • OWASP (www.owasp.org) - Open Web Application Security Project


• Information Security Industry Published Standards
  • NIST special publications (csrc.nist.gov/publications/PubsSPs.html) - National Institute for Science and Technology (NIST), Computer Security Division's special publications
  • Center for Internet Security (CIS) (www.cisecurity.org)
  • NSA SNAC - The National Security Agency's (NSA) Security Configuration Guidelines. This collection of guides is organized by operating system and version, making recommendations for configuration to "harden" a system, to protect it against attack.