To protect the integrity of your research (and often to satisfy requirements of the sponsor), ensure that:

• The computer's hard drive is encrypted 
• The firewall is enabled
• File sharing is disabled
• Your backup client is backing up the appropriate directories, and backups are up to date
• Always use a secure password and share it with no one
• When off campus you use MIT's VPN service
• You check with your PI before storing any research files with any cloud service (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.)

Some research projects place very stringent security requirements on the handling of research data. Check with your PI with respect to these. cron can assist you with meeting such requirements.