The Library: Passwords & Cyber Security

• Set up a PIN, passcode, fingerprint ID or face recognition to lock your mobile device.
• Make sure you set your devices to automatically lock after a set amount of time.
• Regularly back up your devices using cloud storage. Leeds Beckett students get 1TB free on OneDrive.
• Don't leave your laptop or mobile device unattended.
• Wipe your devices before selling or recycling them.

It is important that you keep your software up to date. Software updates will often contain fixes to resolve possible security issues.

Updates can include:

• Your operating system e.g. Windows or OS X
• Web browsers e.g. Chrome (recommended)
• Adobe software such as Adobe flash player on Adobe Acrobat
• Microsoft Office
• Mobile Apps
• Anti-virus software

• Anti-virus software protects and removes viruses and other kinds of malicious software from your computer.
• Leeds Beckett University expects your personal devices to be protected with up-to-date anti-virus software.
• If you use Windows 10 then the included Windows Defender is a good option; just make sure it is turned on as if your new device came with a trial anti-virus software that will have turned off Windows Defender.
• You can purchase anti-virus software online, or from most major electrical retailers.
• Apple Mac devices generally do not need anti-virus, but some anti-virus software for Apple devices can be purchased if you would like extra cover.

• All web browsers (e.g. Chrome or Safari) will store cache, sometimes referred to as temporary internet files to use again, for example graphics or images. This means that if you return to the same webpage the page will load faster as it already has some of the information stored.
• However having a lot of data saved in your cache, can slow down your computer when browsing the web.
• Passwords can also be stored in the cache / temporary files, this can sometimes mean that you become locked out of your account after changing your password as your old password is still saved and in use on another device.
• Sometimes you may need to clear your cache and cookies in order to fix problems in your web browser such as loading errors, issues with a new password or formatting issues.
• There are links to full instructions on how to clear cache and cookies for different web browsers in this FAQHow do I clear my cache and cookies?