Windows introduced user access control (UAC) with Vista. One thing we found with it's initial release was an annoyance, rather than a useful feature.

With Windows 7 the UAC is a bit more user friendly.

NOTE: We do not recommend that most users disable the UAC on their computer or even change the default settings unless you increase the service.

How to Access the UAC

1. Click the START MENU
2. Choose CONTROL PANEL
3. Click SYSTEM AND SECURITY
4. Click USER ACCOUNT
5. Then under the Action Center click CHANGE USER ACCOUNT CONTROL SETTINGS



The default settings are "Notify me only when programs try to make changes to my computer. Don't notify me when I make changes to Windows settings."

This setting simply means that the UAC should issue a warning if a program is trying to make a change to your comptuer system.



If you receive a warning similar to this (text will probably be different) don't hit the "Continue" button unless you're specifically installing software/making software changes. If you don't know why the message appeared, click the "Cancel" button.

For more information regarding settings click the link on the UAC Window that reads "Tell me more about User Account Control settings."

EKU's SmartComputing website provides a gateway to protecting your computer, to give guidance and support in the area of IT security ranging from network and computer security to physical access control.

This site provides the University community with links, tools and resources needed to protect faculty, staff and student owned and leased equipment.

Our goal is a safe and secure atmosphere for teaching, learning, service, and the conduct of university business. In the event you can't find what you're looking for, email us at smartcomputing@eku.edu and we'll be happy to assist you. We hope this website will be useful to you.

Google Chrome came with a feature called "Themes" where users could "skin" their browsers appearance. Themes are available by artists and by google. https://tools.google.com/chrome/intl/en/themes/index.html

To add a theme:
1. Click the TOOLS menu.
2. Select OPTIONS.
3. Click the PERSONAL STUFF tab.
4. Click GET THEMES in the "Themes" section to see the galleries.
5. You can preview different themes in the gallery by clicking on their links or thumbnails.
6. When you find a theme you want to use, click APPLY THEME on the gallery.

To remove a theme:
1. Click the TOOLS menu.
2. Select OPTIONS.
3. Click the PERSONAL STUFF tab.
4. In the "Themes" section, click RESET TO DEFAULT THEME.

With the update of Firefox to 3.6, users have been given a similar product as Chrome's "Themes" except these are called "Personas."
http://www.getpersonas.com/en-US/

There are over 35,000 designs that will "skin" your Firefox browser.

Secunia offers a free (for home users) software inspector that will check if you have any insecure programs installed on your PC. One of the biggest threats today are all the vulnerabilities in software...not just in your operating system. It is very important to keep all your software up-to-date to lessen security threats.

The current version of the software is 1.5.0.1 and is available on their website.

ResNet offers a free download and installation instructional PDF too.

Taken from the IT Wire (PDF)

IT recently changed the structure of the W:Drive for students. Below is the email that went out a few weeks ago.

What Changed?
Your current W: drive is now PRIVATE storage except the files
in the WEB folder. Your web site, and all related graphics, must
be moved into this WEB folder for your web site to continue
working.

What you need to do:
Move all of your web content to the WEB folder within your
W: drive. DO NOT move private files, or files with personal information into the WEB folder. Everything moved to the WEB
folder will be accessible via the web and may be crawled by
search engines, such as Google. Please be careful not to move
files that include your Social Security number or any other sensitive information to the WEB folder.

When did this change occur?
This change went into effect on Friday, November 6, 2009.
For additional information, please visit:
http://netinfo.eku.edu/faq/student-w-dr ... tructuring

1. The program is another important step you can use again malware. We have used it in ResNet since it became available on the market and we have found it to be a reliable too. But it's not the only tool you should rely on either!

2. It updates automatically. That's right; you don't have to worry about updating the definition files weekly. Once you install the program click SETTINGS, then SCHEDULED SCAN and make sure the CHECK FOR THE LATEST VIRUS & SPYWARE DEFINITIONS BEFORE RUNNING A SCHEDULED SCAN check box is selected and click SAVE CHANGES.

3. It is easy to use. That is a very important feature for any malware detection/removal program or who wants to use it...right?

4. You can find help and how to guides/videos online.

5. It's a free download from Microsoft.

Nexus One is the latest smartphone available from Google. It uses the Android operating system and is offered on the T-Mobile (currently) and the Verizon networks later in 2010. It carries a $529 price tag to boot! More on Purchasing Your Phone: http://www.google.com/support/android/b ... wer=166509

The phone offers a 5 megapixels camera with zoom and flash, dual microphones, voice directions while driving, and it can transcribe voice to text. It also contains Google Googles, their visual search tool!

The real questions on the phone released this week...will it, with the price tag it carries, be a real competitor for others such as the iPhone and Droid?

User Guide: http://www.google.com/support/android/b ... uide=27201

Now may be coming with a vengeance tomorrow so be careful and safe!

Our office opens at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 11th!

Welcome Back To School!

Did you know that ResNet...
* Offers students 24/7 support via our Knowledgebase: http://support.resnet.eku.edu/kb/
* Is online networking @ Twitter (EKUResNet), Facebook, YouTube, this Blog and an RSS feed
* Offers residential EKU students an electronics recycling program
* Upkeeps ITs SmartComputing webiste: http://smartcomputing.eku.edu
* Can conenct student-owned PCs, game consoles and movile devices to EKU's network

by Graham Ricks

With so many peoples’ lives becoming wrapped up in social networking, a Facebook server being updated and not allowing a user to login can be torture. They sit anxiously waiting, stressing over who might be buying whom in the Owned application or what relationship statuses are changing. These types of people have one ultimate fear: their account being disabled! For those of you out there who think that a disabled Facebook account is sure death, here is a list of things that are guaranteed to get an account disabled.

1. Falsifying information: This includes not providing your real name or lying about your school or organization affiliation. All users must be real people; no pets or inanimate objects are allowed to have accounts.

2. Too much activity: As odd as this may seem, apparently there is such a thing as being too social on a social networking site. Having too many friends (>5000) or joining too many groups (>200) is a sure way to have your account disabled.

3. You talk too much: Posting on an excessive number of walls, sending multiple messages containing the same text, and any form of advertising on walls is considered by the Facebook servers to be spam and will result in automatic account disabling.

4. Being underage: Facebook lists this as the largest violation for users. Facebook terms of service state that users must be at least 18 years old or a student at a recognized high school in order to have a profile. Recently Facebook has even been disabling accounts of home-schooled users under 18, since they do not attend a recognized high school.

5. Posting Torrents: Pirate Bay has integrated itself into Facebook by allowing users to post torrent links into profiles. If Facebook were to allow users to post torrent links they could be implicated in the legal proceedings that torrent sites are currently facing. This is still a very new thing to Facebook, so users sharing torrents are in the process of being sought out.

Facebook boasts 175 million active users worldwide; if you are one of the 175 million and want to remain an active user, make sure to keep up with what Facebook is currently blocking users for and you should be in the clear.