Security on the Internet / Safety measures

A list of the basic rules of prudence that we recommend when you are surfing on the Internet.is proposed below . It would be adviseable to read each point under section Security on the Internet. The list can serve as a reminder, and you may want to refer to it from time to time.

Passwords

• Choose a password difficult to decipher.
• Use at least six to eight letters combined with digits.
• Do not reveal it to anyone under any circumstances.
• Completely change your password periodically (not just a digit or a few characters).
• Use the form on this site to modify your Vidéotron Internet account password.
• Avoid using the same password in different contexts and on different servers.
• If you have to note your passwords, secure your list in a safe place.
• If possible, memorize one password, which you will not note anywhere, and which will be used as the key to an encrypted file containing all other passwords. Use a safe encoding method such as PGP.

Intrusion into your system

• Do not activate your computer resource sharing when you are connected to the Internet.
• If you must absolutely activate your resource sharing function:
  • protect its access with a password which is difficult to decipher;
  • limit permissions granted to bare essential (printing, restricted files, read only);
  • do not leave resource sharing permanently activated, and deactivate without delay;
• Pay attention to your operating system's messages (  and under Windows, under Mac OS 8).
• Do not install Web, Proxy, FTP servers, or other services granting access to your computer.
• If you use a remote control software similar to pcAnywhere :
  • protect your computer access with a user name and a password difficult to decipher;
  • specify in your configuration the IP address of the user to whom you have granted remote control access prior to activating the remote control function.
• If you must absolutely open certain accesses to your system, consider specialized protection tools and get familiar with their configuration.
• Do not leave your computer connected to the Internet at all times without adequate protection.

Trojan horses and Computer viruses

• The Trojan horse is an apparently inoffensive program which hides another dangerous program. Beware particularly of pornographic programs or of programs of doubtful utility.
• Never execute programs unless they are sent by an entirely reliable source (i.e. companies, organisations or reliable sites that are well known and have a reputation to maintain).
• Do not execute programs sent by another user via electronic mail or via chat rooms such as IRC or ICQ unless it is absolutely necessary, and only after a scan with the latest update of your anti-virus software.
• Do not accept diskettes or self-copied compact disks (i.e. copied by a user rather than pre-recorded by a manufacturer) without scanning them with the lastest update of your anti-virus software prior to executing them.
• Do not retransmit virus alerts without prior authentication by a well-known anti-virus center.
• Update the description lists of your anti-virus software on a regular basis.