July 3, 2023
Here are a few tips and pointers on how you can make your Windows OS more secure
Before connecting your laptop to the Mass General Brigham computer network, please follow these steps to ensure security of your computer and and the network.
- Make sure local user accounts all have strong passwords.
- Double check that software firewall is enabled on Windows 10
- Enable automatic Windows updates
- Install Anti-Virus Software
If you aren't comfortable performing these tasks, please contact the IS Service Desk for assistance.
Weak Passwords to Avoid
- Your love ones' name and/or his/her birth dates
- Your social security number
- Any of the following/combinations admin, password, letmein, money, love, god, 123 or 1234 or 123456
- Your city, college, football team, etc.
Current Mass General Brigham Password Guidelines
- Minimum 8 characters long
- At least 1 letter
- At least 1 number
- MiXeD CaSe preferred
- Does not contain your user name, real name, or company name
- Does not contain a complete dictionary word
- Is significantly different from your previous password
Mass General Brigham Password Self Service Resource Page
One of the best ways to create a password that is strong and yet still easy to remember is to use a mnemonic. For example, use the first letter of every word in one of your favorite songs, followed by a random letter. Using this method could result in the password "wwyamc25" -- which looks like gibberish, but is actually easy to remember when you realize that it stands for "We Wish You A Merry Christmas".