Stanford Security Self-Help
Stanford Security Self-Help - based on the earlier Security Self-Test - is a simple, self-contained tool that performs a set of basic security checks appropriate to the kind of computer you run it on, and that permits you to make configuration changes. The tool is non-intrusive, sends absolutely no information about your computer over the network, and is provided as an educational aid in your efforts to keep your computer more secure. It is not intended for use on servers, but rather individuals' desktop and laptop Macs and PCs.
If the tool discovers any significant security vulnerabilities on your computer, it will alert you to this fact, and tell you how to address the problem, in many cases offering to do the repair itself. For help you can use the tool's Help facility, which will take you to the appropriate web page.
Please try your best to apply security fixes using the information available on the Secure Computing web site; but if you find yourself having difficulty, feel free to call 725-HELP or submit a HelpSU request.
Once you've made suggested changes, you can run the tool again to confirm your success. If you use more than one computer, please run the tool on all of them.
System Requirements
- PC - Windows 95 or NT 4.0 and later, including Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP. Version 2, the newest version, is for 2000 and XP users only.
- Macintosh - MacOS 8.1 and later, including MacOS X.
Downloading and Installing the Self-Test Utility
PC Users: Go to the Essential Stanford Software download page for PC software. Then:
- Windows 2000 and XP users: download Security Self-Help Tool, version 2.
- Users of earlier versions of Windows, e.g., Windows 98 or NT: download Security Self-Test Tool, version 1
Mac Users: Download the Mac Self-Help Tool. If you have trouble with downloading and installing the utility, please go to the Macintosh Help Page using the link provided below.
Once the software is installed, an icon labeled "Security Self-Test" will appear on your desktop. You run the Security Self-Test by double-clicking its desktop icon. If you saved the installer file, you may now throw it away, or you can hold on to it if you want to use it later to remove the utility.
For more information about the Security Self-Test utility and its uses, either click the utility's own Help button, or go directly to the appropriate help page:
Supplemental material available includes:
- Security Self-Help Tool Program Summary
- Technical Documentation for administrators (Microsoft Word document)
- The Self-Help Tool configuration editor (software)