Exeter On-Line

Winter 2005 Issue                      Publication of Information Technology Services  

The Growing Threat of Spyware

Hoaxes

ITS Projects

What's Happening in Academic Technology

1. Keep your anti-virus up-to-date. Information virus alerts can be found on the breaking news page of the ITS web site, http://it.exeter.edu/
2. Download recommended products for removing spyware. ITS recommends Ad-Aware, Spybot-Search and Destroy and Spyware Blaster, which you can find easily on the IT web site. (See Spyware/Adware Info link)
3. Because unrestricted file-swapping programs pose security risks, turn off peer-to-peer file sharing if you do not need it.
4. Become familiar with the names of spyware programs, such as Top Text, Gator, SaveNow, FlashTrack, WebHancer, Bonzi Buddy, Cydoor, CoolWeb Search, New.net, and eAccelerator.
5. Learn the known distributors of spyware, such as KaZaA, Limewire, AudioGalaxy, iMesh, BearShare, and Grokster.
6. Do not respond to junk e-mails! Doing so will verify their message has reached a valid address; delete these messages.
7. Only complete required fields in on-line forms.
8. Read End User License Agreements (EULA) thoroughly before downloading software. If it won’t let you out of the Installment agreement, use Task Manager to terminate the application.
9. Never click "agree" or "OK" to close a window. Instead, click the "x" in the corner of the window or press the Alt + F4 buttons on your keyboard to close a window.
10. Be wary of popular "free" music and movie file-sharing programs, and be sure you clearly understand all of the software packaged with those programs.
    
    To learn more see Microsoft's video on the top three things you can do to prevent spyware.

How to Determine if an Email Message is a Hoax by Emily Merrill

1. Does it sound hysterical? Does it claim that this is the worst virus ever? Hoaxes prey on fear, and seek to incite it. Real computer viruses simply make people annoyed and irritable.
2. Does it ask you to forward it to everyone you know? No legit e-mail should ever ask you to do this.
3. Does it contain a link to a reputable site to verify its claim? Emails on a legitimate virus should contain a link to MacAfee or Symantec's site for further information on the virus, and the removal tools.
4. Does it claim there is nothing that can be done about the virus? It normally takes only a few hours after a new virus starts to spread for these companies to have something available to deal with it. By the time you get an e-mail about it, a removal tool or new virus definitions are in place.
5. Does cnn.com or nytimes.com mention the virus? Standard news agencies will report on the worst viruses. If they don't mention it, the virus doesn't exist, or it is no longer that dangerous.
6. Does it use inexact technical language? This can be hard, because if you aren't used to the industry, you wouldn't always pick up on it. But computer people don't usually refer to "vaccines" when talking about computer viruses – they talk about "virus definition files". And, Microsoft doesn't comment on viruses unless the virus targets Microsoft products. Finally, an IT person would refer to it as sector 0, not Sector Zero.
7. For viruses that spread by e-mail, the attachments are what contain viruses, not the e-mails themselves. It is a good idea to delete any message that you think might be infected, but if you read the message, but don't open the attachment, you won't be infected with the virus payload.
8. Can you find the "virus" on a page that lists internet hoaxes? McAfee and Symantec, the two biggest anti-virus software companies, have searchable hoax pages for fake viruses. These pages below also mention some:
   
   http://snopes.com/
   http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/virtual.card.for.you.html

ITS Projects by Shelley Nason

Network Infrastructure Upgrade and Campus Manager

During the summer of 2004, Information Technology Services completed phase one of the network infrastructure upgrade by replacing hardware in the dorms. The upgrade automates the way ITS manages virus activity, network bandwidth, and allows us to quickly resolve network problems that result in improved performance for the residential users. Although this work cannot be seen, it was noted by our students at the start of school. By the end of the first week of school, approximately 850 computers were connected to the network and by the end of the second week, 1050 computers were connected. Not only was this a dramatic reversal from last year’s experience, it was a record time for our residential community to achieve connectivity.

The final step in the residential project was to register all computers through Campus Manager, and this took place over a four-week period through November. Now, with Campus Manager in place, if a computer is showing virus activity we can quickly determine the user and isolate them without impacting others.

We are planning a similar infrastructure upgrade in our administrative and academic buildings starting March 2005 and completing in August before the start of school.

Barracuda

ITS tested anti-spam devices with the intent to roll a solution out to the community by year’s end. The identified tool is called Barracuda Spam Firewall and it “checks” all mail before passing it on to the mail server and your mailbox. It works by rejecting virus-infected email and, through an individual quarantine box on the device, the user can define what type of mail he or she considers valid versus what mail is spam. In December and early January, ITS offered Barracuda demonstrations to the community. If you were unable to attend one of the demonstrations, you will find Barracuda documentation on the IT module in Blackboard. You can also contact the support desk for documentation or questions at extension 3693 or email support_desk@exeter.edu.

What's Happening in Academic Technology? by Vi Richter

A part of my job is to assist teachers in learning more about our Blackboard community portal and how it might help them to teach--and students to learn-- more effectively. To that end, I meet individually with instructors who wish to design and post course and curricular materials in the portal, demonstrate to them and/or to their classes how to use some of the communications and assessment tools, and guide them to the most appropriate and available solution to meet an instructional need. I enjoy watching teachers and students explore new ways to meet existing goals, and I find it particularly interesting to see how these tools might provide new means to support Harkness teaching and learning.

As a working member of the Junior Studies team, I have met regularly with Junior Studies personnel last spring, summer, and into the fall to help to develop orientation materials, plan curriculum, and integrate technology into the Junior Studies program. This team, comprised of instructors, librarians and ITS staff, has proven to be a great venue in which to experiment with and integrate the use of instructional technology, as well as to ensure that we fill skills gaps for students, since Junior Studies plays such a vital part in orienting the new prep class. Sharing membership on the Junior Studies team has strengthened ties between ITS, the faculty, and the Library and has given each group another view of the Junior Studies curriculum and student experience. I look forward to continuing work in this area.