Computer Security at Harvard Medical School

Please report any security breach immediately to: ithelp@harvard.edu

Download the HU Information Technology Security Quick Reference Guide

Review Microsoft's Ten Immutable Laws of Security

Harvard University Information Technology provides campus wide security services that protect computer users from becoming hacked or infected. Security solutions available include secure firewall services, security auditing services, intrusion detection services and secure network connections. HU IT maintains information security at several levels.

Perimeter protection: The HMS network is protected at the perimeter using advanced firewall systems.
Intrusion detection: The HMS network and egress point of access is monitored continuously by systems that examine the data traffic for patterns that conform to known attack or vulnerability signatures.
Internal protection: HMS sensitive Internal services are protected behind a separate internal firewall. Access is granted on an as needed basis.
Anti-virus: The HMS Information Technology department utilizes a variety of desktop applications to help keep campus computers virus free.
Software Update Services: The HMS Information Technology department maintains a software update server to keep Windows systems up to date for current patches.
Vulnerability Assessment Services: The HMS Information Technology department has the ability to periodically "probe" systems to determine if the systems are vulnerable to being compromised.

Your personal computer is still susceptible to malware, malicious software installed on your computer without your knowledge. Your best defense is to practice safe computing and to make use of anti-virus and anti-spyware tools that are available.

It is also your responsibility, as a user of the HMS network, to adhere to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. The Harvard Medical School Information Security Officer regularly scans the network for Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file sharing applications that may be in use. Read more about Information Technology's P2P policy. For complete information about how network security is applied at Harvard HMS Information Security Policy. You can also download the HMS Security Policy in PDF format.

If you have questions or concerns about computer security, please contact the HMS IT Help Desk at 617-432-2000 or fill out an online support request and a Client Services Representative will contact you.

Last Updated January 24, 2013