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Configuring Your Computer

Security Recommendations

Before connecting your computer to CERN you should read carefully the CERN Security Recommendation and the Password Recommendantions.

In particular CERN's recommended and centrally managed systems. If you manage your own system or have installed your own applications, you are responsible for keeping the software secure:

• ensure the software is permitted by CERN's restrictions on software for personal and professional use.
• ensure you have sufficient knowledge of the software you are installing or configuring
• limit application services listening on network port numbers to the absolute minimum
• limit the number of users authorised to access the system to a minimum
• ensure that the system and applications are securely configured
• ensure that security patches are regularly applied - this may require upgrading to later versions
• respond quickly to actions proposed by CERN's computer security team

Registering Your Portable Computer

Register your portable computer and all network interfaces you intend to use (e.g., Ethernet, wire-less). Registration is mandatory at CERN and only registered computers will get network access.

Please follow the detailed instructions for Portables Registration.

Installing a Computer at CERN

The best way to have a computer properly installed is to ask for an installation to the CERN Helpdesk (helpdesk@cernNOSPAMPLEASE.ch). Before doing that consult with your supervisor in the group because such installation will erase completely any data on the computer.

If you really want to do the installation yourself then:

• for Linux installations follow the instructions of the CERN Linux Installation Service.
• for Windows installations follow the Installation of Windows at CERN.

-- AlbertoAimar - 05 Aug 2005