Module 10 · Keeping yourself safe 35 min

Four habits keep you safe: update, back up, do not open dodgy things, and handle your passwords well. None of them is hard. On a workstation managed by your ministry, IT pre-configures some of this; this module shows what runs underneath and what is up to you. The reflexes are the same as on Windows.

By the end of this module you will be able to:

  • Update your system in one click with the Software Updater, and why a single update covers all your apps at once
  • Back up your work with Déjà Dup to a USB stick or a network folder, and test a restore once
  • Spot what not to open: phishing emails, dodgy attachments, fake "your computer is infected" popups
  • Handle passwords well: a password manager, one strong passphrase, never the same password everywhere, two-factor where it is offered

Four habits, and you are covered

Everyday safety comes down to four simple moves: update, back up, do not open the traps, and handle your passwords well. On Windows you already did all of this. On Linux it is quieter and often automatic. On a workstation managed by your ministry, IT pre-configures updates and backups; this module explains what runs underneath, and the "at home" version on your own machine.

1. Updates

An update is security fixes and improvements. The big difference from Windows: on Linux, one update covers everything, the system AND all your apps at once. No separate update for the browser, the office suite, the PDF reader.

  1. Open Software Updater from the Activities menu. It is the equivalent of Windows Update.
  2. It lists the pending fixes. Click Install Now.
  3. Type your password if asked. That is all.

Most updates do not need a restart. When an update touches the heart of the system, a small prompt to restart appears: you do it when it suits you, not in the middle of work. On a managed machine, IT handles everything; sometimes you only accept the restart it offers.

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The simple reflex

When the Software Updater nudges you, start the install and keep working. No need to wait: on Linux, installing an update does not freeze the computer.

2. Backups

A backup is a copy of your work somewhere else, so a failed disk or a file deleted by mistake costs you nothing. The built-in tool is Déjà Dup (Backups), the equivalent of Windows File History.

  • What to back up: your home folder (Documents, Pictures, Desktop). Not the system: it reinstalls, your files do not.
  • Where: a USB stick, an external drive, or an office network folder. Best of all: a copy that is not always plugged in.
  • How: open Backups, choose the folder to back up and the destination, turn on automatic backups. Déjà Dup does the rest, encrypted and automatic.
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Test a restore, just once

A backup you never tested is a hope, not a backup. Once the first backup is done, open Backups → Restore, recover a random file and check it opens. Then you are genuinely covered.

3. Not opening dodgy things

Linux catches far fewer viruses than Windows, but no system protects you from clicking a trap. The same rules as in Outlook apply:

  • Phishing: an email impersonating your bank, the tax office or your IT department, demanding a password or an urgent payment. Check the sender's address, hover over links to see where they really go, and be wary of any urgency ("your account will be locked in 24 hours").
  • Attachments: do not open a file you were not expecting, even from a known sender. If in doubt, ask through another channel.
  • Fake popups: a web page shouting "your computer is infected, call this number" is always fake. Close the tab. No website can scan your computer.
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When in doubt, do not click

No government body will ask for your password by email. If a message pressures you to act fast, that is exactly the signal to slow down and check. Report it to your IT department.

4. Passwords

A good password is long and unique. The trick: do not try to remember them, hand them to a password manager.

  • The GNOME keyring is built into Linux and already remembers some passwords (Wi-Fi, accounts). For the rest, install Bitwarden from the Software Centre: free, it fills your passwords in the browser, like your password manager did on Windows.
  • A passphrase rather than a word: three or four unrelated words are both strong and easy to type. You only remember one, the one that opens the manager.
  • Never the same password everywhere. Above all, your work password must be used nowhere else: if another site is breached, your work account stays safe.
  • Two-factor authentication (a 6-digit code on top of the password): turn it on everywhere it is offered. It is the same one you already use to sign in to this course.

Four habits, and you are protected. The quiz below runs through the key points. Next comes Lab 3, where you practise these reflexes.