UA Network Access Control no longer in place
Students responsible for staying secure
To help protect the University network and students from computer viruses, the Center for Computing and Information Technology (CCIT) implemented Network Access Control (NAC) in residence halls in the summer of 2006. The NAC checked a student’s computer for the latest operating system security patches and up-to-date anti-virus software before it would allow the student to get on the University network. The 2006-2007 residence hall program was a test of the system, with the intention that NAC eventually be expanded to the rest of campus.
Unfortunately, the NAC product that was chosen caused some frustrations, such as when a student had anti-virus software that wasn’t on the product’s official list. The expansion of the wireless network to the residence halls in the summer of 2007 also made the system impractical; it would be inconsistent to require residents to go through NAC on the hard-wired ports when it wasn’t required on wireless.
However, this doesn’t mean that students don’t need to keep their operating system and anti-virus software up to date. The University network constantly monitors for malicious activity, such as the spread of viruses. If a student’s machine has been compromised, CCIT’s Security Incident Response Team (SIRT) will block the computer to prevent any further damage being done to the network. The machine will not be unblocked until the infection has been eradicated.
Despite the drawbacks of the NAC, it was effective in helping keep residence hall computers clean:
Without the NAC to ensure students are keeping their anti-virus programs and system patches up to date, there is a concern that more resident computers will be compromised and blocked if students aren’t aware of the resources available to them. |
The University, as a large institution with high-speed internet connections, is a tempting target for hackers, identity thieves and other people with malicious intent. In the past, SIRT used to compile statistics on how many vulnerability probes were made to the network until the number became so large as to be unpractical to track. Every unprotected computer connected to the network is at risk of being compromised and losing network access. This is done to help protect the user from further exposure to the threats as well as to ensure the stability, availability and integrity of the University network.
In addition, University e-mail addresses are targets. Opening attachments from unknown senders is always discouraged, but it’s not the only danger. This summer e-mails were sent to University addresses with a subject line indicating an e-greeting card had been sent from a friend or family member. People who clicked the link to pick up an e-card were infected by a Trojan horse at the Web address and several accounts had to be blocked from the network until anti-virus software companies developed a patch to deal with the new threat.
Help from OSCR
Students who have anti-virus software need to make sure they continue to keep it up to date with the newest patches, as well as keeping their operating system updated. The University provides free Sophos anti-virus software for all UA students, faculty and staff. There are easy-to-follow instructions for installing Sophos available on the Office of Student Computing Resources (OSCR) Web page and students can get personal help at OSCR Underground in the ILC, any OSCR lab or via OSCR’s Mobile Help Desk.
Help services are also available for student computers that do get infected. OSCR has developed Emergency CDs that can be used to boot an infected Windows PC and run anti-virus and anti-spyware software. The computer will be running off the CD with a Windows shell and the CD will get the latest Sophos and anti-spyware updates to disinfect the computer’s hard drive. The CD won’t install anything on the user’s hard drive nor do anything but delete the problems. The hard drive will be disinfected, but the computer owner will still have to install a current anti-virus program.
The start of a semester always sees a large jump in infection activity. All users on the UA network should protect their computers and prevent themselves from being blocked by installing and staying up to date with their anti-virus software and operating system security patches.
For more info
OSCR’s Security page
oscr.arizona.edu/computer_help/security_intro
OSCR Help Desk
626-TECH (8324)
oscr.arizona.edu/helpdesk
CCIT Security Incident Response Team
sirt.arizona.edu
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