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8 Spots for Tightening Security on Campus
1/30/2004
At the Rochester Institute of Technology, Barbour says the security issue that
keeps her awake at night is unauthorized software running somewhere on campus
that isn't under the central IT umbrella. "That's where I'm focusing most
of my attention right now…. [Those systems] could be very vulnerable to
hacking." One theoretical example: A specialized program set up by an individual
faculty member on his or her computer, without the proper security clearance
or configuration. To help with addressing the issue, RIT now has a full-time
Information Security Officer who develops policies to help make sure systems
are secure.
4. Stop Denial of Service Attacks
In its simplest form, a denial of service attack sends more data to your network than it can handle, thus overflowing the buffers and resulting in a loss of service to users. Most DoS attacks are malicious and intended to bring the network down, and though they typically don't destroy data, they can. Some recent viruses can be classified as denial of service attacks.
As with many things having to do with campus security, a college or university network may be especially susceptible to a DoS attack because of its openness. Versions of Microsoft Windows, by far the most popular operating systems for hacking, are especially vulnerable.
There are many ways to protect your network, from virus software to firewalls to how you configure your operating systems. For a primer on defeating denial-of-service attacks, you can start with this useful article from SANS, a well-respected security research, training and certification institute. The article contains instructions for administrators on, among other things, preventing your network from being used as a broadcast amplification site - an unwitting accomplice in a denial-of-service attack.
Linda Briggs is a freelance writer based in San Diego, Calif. She can be reached at lbriggs@lindabriggs.com.
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