iTech and bugging devices

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

iTech and bugging devices

Date: Apr 26, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by:
"If what I just received in my inbox is true, there ought to be some sort of paper trail (Purchase Orders, etc.) to prove it: Has anyone heard that the tech dept. bought surveillance equipment (bugs, devices to monitor computers/phones) shortly after Shelby became president?"

FOIA both Itech and Finance departments beginning with top administrators and work downward, naming individuals. "...view and copy any and all documents related to the purchase or use of..."

Date: Apr 26, 2004

Last fall Tech sent their minions to every computer on campus, for the announced purpose of installing additional virus protection. You may have noticed that immediately thereafter your computer became much slower. That was when they did it. A professor I know called over for tech help a few months ago and was starting to describe his problem when the individual on the other end announced oh, that's all right, I can see everything on your computer.

Date: Apr 26, 2004

I have also heard of this. A staff member at USM told me that they called for tech help and while he/she was on the phone with itech, they were able to move the mouse on his/her computer and fix the problem. It is strange, and a bit scarry, that they can access computers in other parts of campus from their office.

Date: Apr 26, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: usmstudent
"I have also heard of this. A staff member at USM told me that they called for tech help and while he/she was on the phone with itech, they were able to move the mouse on his/her computer and fix the problem. It is strange, and a bit scarry, that they can access computers in other parts of campus from their office. "

yes . . . they did this with me.

My understanding is that the monitoring equipment was more on the order of phone bugging devices although this wasn't explicitly said.

I think the computer monitoring would be easy simply because computer maintainance and tech support really requires access to the terminal in order to be able to do the work. So the presence of software that would enable this option wouldn't in itself be unusual or noteworthy unless it was used for that purpose

Date: Apr 26, 2004

Remote desktop software is very popular with tech departments because it makes assisting end users a lot easier. And if the tech department (and their bosses) are ethical about its use, it is a wonderful tool. Anyone who's used GoToMyPC, PCAnywhere, or VNC has experience with this kind of tool. A lot of computer resellers use this kind of software to provide "service after the sale."

On the flipside, remote desktop software is easily used in unethical ways. In fact, a couple legendary hacker "tools," Sub7 & BackOrifice, are touted by their inventors as remote desktop software.

The USM IT department should have made it clear to end users that it was installing remote desktop software. Yes, it's within the university's right to use the software, but it is generally considered good form to tell people what's been installed. Moreover, if one can demonstrate that the software was installed *selectively* on some folks' computers & not on others, there is a big problem.

Some things to do, after checking the acceptable use agreement to make sure you can't be fired for doing them:

1) Install a personal firewall like ZoneAlarm & make sure that the ports used by remote desktop software are closed. If you really need remote assistance, you can manually open the port back up.

2) Check the BIOS settings & make sure that any "network boot" option is disabled. If this is enabled, IT can actually turn your computer on via the network.

3) Take a hard, cold look at any shared folders you have open. Password protect them with "strong" passwords, at the very least.

4) Repeat 1-3 every time an IT techie works on your PC.

5) Get a copy of PGP & use it for critical communications. AFAIK, USM does not have a Cray on campus nor is it likely that they can spare 2-3 days of leased time on a Cray to crack an encrypted email.

6) Trust no one, including Invictus.

Again, READ THE IT DEPARTMENT'S ACCEPTABLE USE AGREEMENT. Unless you are specifically prohibited from sending/receiving encrypted email, or running a personal firewall, or disabling network boot, you can do it. And I certainly would!

Date: Apr 26, 2004

Yes, my friends, computers can be accessed remotely and programs installed, looked into and even "fixed" or "repaired". I know this because my son is a Computer Tech at a large Dallas-based international company. He has explained all the details to me - but being a simple Humanties Grad, I failed to completely understand. Examination of some USM computers by a completely independant computer consultant might reveal that softwear for remote access has been installed on many of the University's computers and the softwear may be coded so that it would be hard to identify on your files. Is there a trustworthy computer techie out there to demystify this?