Security, Policies & Guidelines

Computer Operating System Critical Updates Policy

This policy requires any computer utilizing NMSU network infrastructure to have all available critical updates applied within 10 calendar days of their release.

Computer viruses and worms are circulating on the Internet continuously scanning for new computers to exploit. Preventing damage from malicious code is much simpler than recovering from it. The shift to preventative and proactive policy is the only way to minimize the impact of computer viruses and worms on campus.

It is the responsibility of the computer owner to make sure all critical updates are applied to the computer’s operating system within 10 days of the update being released. Most computer operating system makers have auto update functions available to assist having the critical updates downloaded to the computer automatically. All operating system web sites provide the user with the ability to download them manually.

Once the update is downloaded it must be installed and the computer must be rebooted.
Please call the ICT Customer Service Center at 646-1840 or email help@nmsu.edu for any assistance or information about applying operating system critical updates.
Computers failing to comply with this policy will be subject to the loss of network privileges.

See Network disconnection policy.

Also visit our security tips web site at http://ict.nmsu.edu/security/