Tech-Talk: Cyber Security Month

October is National Cyber-Security Month and technology staffs are trying to keep up with the epidemic of viruses infecting student computers.

According to Chad McDonald, director of campus computer support services, viruses represent Georgia College & State University’s greatest security challenge.

Since mid-August, the Office of Information and Instructional Technology (OIIT) has received more than 1,200 work orders, which is more than the previous six months’ work orders combined.

A majority of these orders are for student machines infected with viruses, spy-ware and ad-ware. In the last week of August, nearly one million infected e-mails were identified at GC&SU’s e-mail server-based virus scanning program. In addition, the Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) release caused more than two-dozen machines to behave incorrectly or become inoperable.

Two-thirds of student virus infections occur as a result of viruses ‘crawling’ the GC&SU network. These ‘passive’ infections are difficult to detect since they do not require a user to click on an infected file or hyperlink.

In light of the significant threat posed by viruses, there are steps students can take to ensure that their computers are protected and secure. In many cases, students need to ensure that their anti-virus software is functioning correctly and that their virus definitions are up to date.

OIIT offers Norton Anti-Virus software free to students. Instructions for obtaining the latest virus definitions can be found at OIIT’s website, technology.gcsu.edu.

Advanced users may want to consider using a personal firewall such as Sygate. Additionally, Windows XP has a built-in firewall that has been expanded with the release of Service Pack 2.

Firewalls allow users to block unauthorized connections to or from the Internet. Some users choose to install pop-up blockers, though there is a tendency for these programs to interfere with WebCT.

In order to avoid mass infections in the future, the Office of Information and Instructional Technology may return to a practice that was abandoned three years ago. The plan would call for OIIT to scan and disinfect all computers for on-campus residents before the computers are connected to the network.

According to McDonald, this practice may begin in Fall 2005 with the Week of Welcome.

“People are the biggest challenge,” said McDonald. “Cyber-security isn’t a technology problem, it’s a people problem. Our biggest challenge is educating our users on the safe use of technology.”

Throughout National Cyber-Security Awareness Month, GC&SU will attempt to raise the level of student and faculty awareness through articles, presentations and other updates. Events currently planned include a visit by Stan Gatewood, chief information security officer at the University of Georgia.

Check back next week for more on cyber-security and technology at GC&SU.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 8 2004. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry