IT security in the workplace

User certificate and digital signature

As an employee of the University of Leipzig, you can apply for an electronic user certificate. A user certificate is a personal digital identity that has been authenticated by a trustworthy authority. The user certificate can be used to clearly prove who the sender of an e-mail or the author of a text file is. The University Computer Centre offers the service User Certificate for the issuing of a user certificate and the on-site identity check.

User certificates are used, for example, in the signing of e-mails and documents, as well as in e-mail encryption. You can find out how to apply for a user certificate for official use, which usage guidelines apply and how to use the certificate on the help pages for the user certificate service.

You can use the digital signature on the basis of the user certificate. A digital signature replaces your manual signature, for example to privatise emails and PDFs. You can find out how to set up and use the digital signature on the help pages for the digital signature service.

Tips for protecting your PC from viruses

Everyone who works with a computer connected to the university computer network is not only a passive participant and service user, but also influences (knowingly or unknowingly) other computers and the entire network traffic. Poorly configured computers pose a considerable danger both to themselves and to all other participants in the network. The most important protection against computer security problems is to regularly update the security software used and to install updates or patches as soon as possible after they appear.

The operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux) are protected against viruses by using a virus protection programme. The University has a campus licence for the security software Sophos Anti-Virus, which should be used by all members of Leipzig University according to the computer centre. The operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux) are to be protected by regularly installing security updates. Members of the University of Leipzig can obtain their Windows updates via the Microsoft Windows Update Service of the University Computer Centre.

Warning against spy mails

Time and again, so-called phishing emails are sent by fraudsters with the request to submit passwords. This is allegedly done in the name of the computer centre or other institutions of the URZ or the university.

It should be noted that

• the data centre generally does not request passwords by email, and
• the Computing Centre always sends emails in such a way that it is clear which URZ staff member is the sender of the email (i.e. no helpdesk).
• we send our emails in the correct German language.

If you receive e-mails asking for passwords, etc., you should delete them immediately and not reply to them. If you do accidentally reply to such an e-mail, you must reset you password immediately.