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We join with those who mourn the loss of life,  the injuries, and the disruption of lives caused  by the attacks  against Washington,  DC, and  New York, N.Y.    All those effected -- the brave people who helped in rescue efforts, those involved in America's response to terror and in the war with Iraq-- are in our thoughts and prayers.

November 30th is International Computer Security Day.  This event, which was started by the Association of Computing Machines and has hundreds of official cosponsors, is always the last day of November.  This year's theme is "Improving Awareness."  With the many viruses and bugs that have plagued the Internet during the last year, that should be easy to do.

The Computer Security Day Committee maintains a web site at http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/computersecurityday.  It  has also sent out some suggestions on how folks can participate.  This page consolidates some of the e-mails I sent to my colleagues.

*     Change your password.  (Even if the network log-in script at work requires that, your ISP at home may not.  Don't forget that account.)

*     Check your computer for viruses.  (When is the last time you updated your virus signatures and did a complete scan -- at home as well as at work.)

*     Once you've verified that your data is virus-free, make a back-up of your most important files.  (With network storage and CD-RWs, this is much easier now that years ago.  So you've got no excuse for not doing it.  If your system ever fails, you'll be glad you did.)

*     Protect your computers and peripherals against power spikes and static electricity.

*     Write-protect any diskettes that shouldn't be written to.  (Many viruses still happily infect your 1.4" floppies for infection via the "sneaker net.")

*     Learn more about computer virus myths/hoaxes.  A couple of outstanding web sites include http://vmyths.com/ and http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html

*     Once you have backed up your files (tip above), delete files that are no longer needed.

*     Verify your inventory of computer applications.  You should only be running software that it legally owned.  No "pirated" copies.

*     Register and pay for all shareware that you use regularly.

*     Verify your inventory of computer hardware.  (Do you still know where all the peripherals are, or have some been transferred/moved?)

*     Clean up the work area around your computer.  Make sure that cups and glasses containing liquids are well away from your computer.  Clean up the loose papers, dust, etc.

*     Take about ethical computer use with a friend or a coworker.  (They might not know the penalties for unauthorized use of government/company computers.)

*     Create a computer security poster.  Send it to
       Association for Computer Security Day
       P O Box 39110
       Washington, DC  20018
Note:  members of the National Classification Management Society should also provide their work to their chapter for inclusion in the NCMS Poster Contest.

*     Visit the official web site for International Computer Security Day at http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/computersecurityday

*     If your organization isn't already signed up as a cosponsor for next year, go ahead and sign up at:
       ACM Computer Security Day Committee
       P O Box 39110
       Washington, DC  20018
       computer_security_day@acm.org

If all of us did at least one of the 15 suggestions I've given you in these three messages, all of our computers and the information they contain would safer and more secure.