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Best Practices: Macintosh Desktop

1. Don't enable services that you don't need

   Most Macintosh machines come with services disabled by default. You should carefully consider which services you need to enable before doing so.

2. Maintain a secure password

   Make sure your Pawprint password conforms to the Division of Information Technology Password Requirements and change your password on a regular basis. You should never write your password down or share it with anyone. If you suspect your password has been compromised, change it immediately and contact abuse@missouri.edu.

3. Run anti-virus software and keep it current

   Make sure you have a reputable anti-virus program on your computer, and update it on a regular basis. Division of IT recommends Symantec Anti-Virus CE. Generally, if you choose to register your anti-virus software you can choose to be automatically notified of updates. If you schedule an automatic update, make sure it occurs at a time when your computer will be powered on. Any machine that is believed to be infected should be removed from the network immediately and not returned until the virus has been removed.

4. Keep your operating system up to date

   Be aware of service packs that are released for your operating system, especially critical fixes. Make sure you apply patches and upgrades in a timely manner. At a minimum, check for security patches every month.
   • If you are connected to the network, you can set your machine to check for updates. For Mac OS 9, choose "Software Update" in the Apple Menu Control Panels list. For Mac OS X click the "Software Update" Preference Pane in "System Preferences" available in the Apple menu. The system will search for Apple's available software updates and ask if you want to install them.

5. Keep your applications up to date

   • Visit Microsoft's Mac site if you're using Microsoft Office for Mac. For non-Microsoft products, visit the vendor's web site regularly and check for updates you may need to install.

6. Turn off file sharing and disable any other services you don't need

   • Go to the File Sharing control panel or preference pane and make sure it says "File Sharing Off." If you must share files, don't share your entire hard drive. Instead, put documents into a specific folder and share only that folder.