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Dawgbytes, Spring 2007

Volume 5, Number 3

About This Issue...

Information Technology's newsletter, Dawgbytes, is now available online. Dawgbytes is available via a subscription to a list server, DAWGBYTES-L. To subscribe to this mailing list, e-mail a message to listserv@listserv.siu.edu. Use any subject you like, but the body or text area of the message should contain only SUBSCRIBE DAWGBYTES-L.

This Spring 2007 issue of Dawgbytes includes articles on protecting computers and personal data at SIUC; Progress on the SIS Banner project at SIUC; SIUC campus wireless access maps; Microsoft Windows Vista; New Office 2007 Products Coming to Computer Learning Centers; Training from Microsoft for Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007; Identity Management; Subscribing to the Schooner News Server; and Data Encryption Software.


Protecting Computers and Personal Data at SIUC

SIUC IT security now requires a rebuild of the operating system in the event of a critical system-level computer compromise. If IT Security discovers a malicious software (malware) compromise, or other highly reliable indicators that a system has been totally compromised (root compromise on Unix based systems, or Local System or Administrator level compromise on Microsoft Windows), then the system will be disconnected from the network until the situation is remedied by a format and re-install. A compromised system cannot be trusted.

The solutions to this kind of malware infection are based on prevention. After-the-fact “cleaning” by an anti-virus or other cleaning tool can't be trusted in these scenarios. You cannot trust the compromised system.

For Microsoft Windows systems, the following security guidelines should be followed:

www.infotech.siu.edu/security/windows/

While a large number of attacks, and a great deal of media attention are largely focused on Microsoft Windows, the same general principles apply to Unix-based systems. OSX and Unix users must not become complacent. Attackers also target and compromise Unix systems, including OSX. You cannot trust a compromised system.

The time that it takes to follow these basic guidelines is generally going to be much less than the pain of dealing with a compromised system, especially if that compromised system contains any sensitive data. For more information on the consequences of a penetration of a system containing sensitive data, refer to the SIUC Policy Regarding the Personal Information Protection Act at: www.siuc.edu/~policies/policies/prsnlinfoprotectionact.htm

Any passwords that have ever been used on the compromised system should be immediately changed through a trusted means. Do not use the compromised system to change passwords or do anything else unless IT Security, law enforcement, or other authorized party instructs you to do so. You cannot trust a compromised system.

If installing Windows, start with the most recent installation media, which would be, at the time of this writing, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, Server 2003 SP1, or Vista. Make sure that the firewall is enabled and blocking any unsolicited inbound traffic *before* the system is connected to any network. For Windows 2000 systems that do not provide a built-in firewall, an upgrade is recommended, or a system such as Autopatcher from autopatcher.com can be used to perform an offline update.

In order to protect the SIUC Campus Area Network, our computing resources, and the personal information of our students, faculty, and staff, IT Security will remove any system from the network if it is found to be vulnerable to a critical remote attack. This practice has been in place since 2005 and has saved SIUC a great deal of difficulty through compromise avoidance. This IT Security technique is valuable, but LAN Administrators and computer support staff should not use this as a safety net, since computer systems can be compromised extremely quickly, even before IT Security may detect the vulnerability. It’s important to remember that a vulnerable computer may already be compromised, even if IT Security does not detect it.

Modern attackers are using stealthy techniques that hide their activities from anti-virus and other security-based applications. SIUC IT Security has seen numerous instances of malware installed on systems that various anti-virus applications didn't catch. The attackers leverage specific techniques to hide from anti-virus. Don't fall victim to this, or any other computer compromise. By following best practices and staying aware, SIUC computer systems can provide a more trustworthy experience for our faculty, staff, and students. This will enable SIUC to more effectively focus on its core mission.

For more information, please contact the Computer Support Center at 618-453-5155 or email at infotech@siu.edu or see the IT Security website infotech.siu.edu/security.


SIS Implementation Project

Work continues at a fevered pitch on the SIS Implementation Project, which is officially known as the UDC (Unified Digital Campus) project.

Several training classes have been conducted this Spring with the emphasis on system configuration, general person (a Banner term used to describe general records for students, faculty, or staff), recruiting, and admissions. Additionally, a platform kickoff was conducted for Luminis (web portal) as well as an organizational and technical workshop. Training classes have also begun in the financial aid area and will ramp up throughout the Spring and into the Summer.

In conjunction with training, many other activities will occur during the Spring and into the Summer. These activities include the testing of:

To date, training and testing activities have predominately been directed toward functional offices within Woody Hall. As the project continues to grow, numerous campus offices will be included in training and planning sessions.

For a complete and detailed list of activities as well as the status of the project, we invite you to refer to the project web site at salukinet.siu.edu/SISnews.

If you would like to receive periodic announcements and status reports, please subscribe to the UDC-ANNOUNCE-L listserv. For more information on how to subscribe to a list, see How a Subscriber Joins and Leaves a List at https://itmfs1.it.siu.edu/mfs/listserv01.html#join_leave.


Wireless Access Maps on the SIUC Campus

Information Technology's home page has a convenient link pointing to maps of wireless signal availability on campus. Look in the General Information column at the upper left of the page.

Two maps are available: one for indoor wireless coverage and one for outdoor coverage. The maps are color-coded, and each is expandable. The expanded indoor map shows the percentage of wireless availability in 18 campus buildings; the outdoor map shows the approximate boundaries of availability for a dozen areas on campus.

The maps are a quick and handy way to locate where you can or cannot connect to the campus area network via a wireless interface and in many cases may let you answer your own questions about sign-on problems.


Windows Vista at SIUC

In January 2007 Microsoft released its new operating system, Vista, to the general public. It is the successor to Windows XP, which has been in use at SIUC since 2002. The primary objective of the new operating system (OS), as stated by Microsoft, has been to improve the state of security in the OS. Windows XP has been criticized for its security vulnerabilities and overall susceptibility to malware. Microsoft claims it prioritized improving the security of Windows XP into every aspect of the development of Vista. Windows Vista contains hundreds of new features, such as an updated interface and visual style (Windows Aero), improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools, and redesigned networking, audio, print, and display subsystems.

The Enterprise version that will be distributed on campus will run at 32 bits only. It will run on older 32-bit computers, as long as the machine has at least 512 MB of memory, an 800 MHz processor, and 128 MB of graphics memory on a DirectX-9-capable graphics card. However, those are bare minimums; users will probably be unhappy running Vista at this minimum, and some high-end features will not run at all. The Computer Support Center recommends a minimum of two gigabytes of memory and a 256-MB graphics card. Other specifications for computers running Vista at SIUC are described in detail at this web page: www.infotech.siu.edu/specs.htm.

Due to the recent release of Vista and the large learning curve for everyone including support staff, the Computer Support Center will not be able to provide official support for Vista until Summer, 2007. In the meantime, our suggestion is for you to delay deployment of Vista to your faculty and staff.

The following links point to reliable sources of Vista reviews, but they barely scratch the surface of available information; a Google search turns up 83 pages of hits, and readers are invited to make up their own minds.

Both Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise Edition and Microsoft Office Professional 2007 are available to SIUC staff and faculty at no charge. Both can be downloaded from Information Technology's Software Distribution Site. The following article discusses Microsoft Office Professional 2007.


New Office 2007 Products Coming to Computer Learning Centers

Along with the release of the new Vista operating system, Microsoft has also released a new version of their desktop application suite, Office 2007. Included in the Office 2007 suite of programs are Word, Excel, Power Point, Access, and Outlook. The difference between Office 2007 and all previous versions of the programs is striking. Office 2007 has a highly visually oriented user interface (UI) designed to not only make the usual features easier to access but also bring the more advanced features to a level that the average user can successfully create more striking documents and presentations.

Office 2007 will be available in Computer Learning Center 3, in the basement of Rehn Hall, during early summer. CLC 1 in Faner Hall, A wing, entrance 2A, CLC 2 in the ASA building, and CLC 4 in the New Media Center in the Communications building will have the applications installed in time for the Fall Semester. During the summer months, CLCs 1, 2, and 4 will have a converter installed that will allow documents originally created in Office 2007 to be opened, edited, and resaved. It should be noted that computers without this converter and that have Office 2003 or earlier installed, will not be able to open an Office 2007 document. Conversions operate in a backward sequence; therefore, Office 2007 can open documents created in previous Office editions, but earlier editions cannot usually open documents created in newer versions without having conversion tools installed.

One of the most immediately noticeable changes is a switch to a tab layout format called the “Ribbon” that places the functions most applicable to each program in a tabbed format at the top of the page.

A second new feature is the “Microsoft Office Button,” a colored circle with the interlocking squares logo of the Office programs, at the top left of the page. Clicking this button produces a drop-down list of choices like “New,” “Save,” and “Print,” which were found in earlier versions of Microsoft Office by clicking on “File.”

A third new feature is called “Contextual Tabs.” This term refers to functions relevant to the open program that a user previously had to search for in the menu choices. For example, if you are working with a chart in Office Excel, common commands relevant to the design of charts and spreadsheets appear in the toolbar. Working in Office PowerPoint, commands for resizing, color and picture placement, and visual effects appear.

Also new are the “Gallery” and “Live Preview” features. These enable the user to immediately see the effect of a command on the actual document simply by hovering the curser over the command icon. After highlighting the section of the document, the user can hover the curser over a change of font, for example, and as they move the cursor down through the choices, the document reflects the changes in real time--no more choosing an option, applying, undoing, and rechoosing several times to get the look you want for your document. Or, after creating a chart or table, you can mouse over different color and formatting options and see the chart or table change, letting you choose the most appropriate style with only one click of your mouse.

The bottom right of the page now has those common commands associated with your view of the document as it appears on the screen, while the top of the page next to the Office Button has a Quick Access toolbar available where you can drag and drop your favorite or most frequently used commands onto a custom toolbar. There is also a “mini-toolbar” function. After highlighting a selection of text, a toolbar of the most used commands will begin to fade into view next to the highlighted section. If you move your cursor towards the toolbar, it will become solid and you can make changes such as bold, underline, etc., immediately next to the text. As you move the cursor away from the toolbar, it fades from view.

The new look and functionality of Office 2007 may shock users when they first see it, but with its highly visual style, the learning curve is short. A preview of Office 2007, including video demonstration of functions and free trial period can be seen at office.microsoft.com. Computer Support Center assistance for Office 2007 will be available this summer.


Training from Microsoft for Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007

Basic training for Microsoft Office 2007 programs is available free from Microsoft at the following website: office.microsoft.com/en-us/getstarted/FX101923361033.aspx.

Basic information on the various Windows Vista operating systems is available at: windowshelp.microsoft.com/windows/en-us/editions.mspx.

Information on Windows Vista training via books, e-learning and instructor-led classes is available at: www.microsoft.com/Learning/training/find/FindCourse.mspx.


Identity Management

Information Technology is planning the implementation of new Identity Management services for the campus. Identity management uses functions such as identification, authorization, and authentication to ensure that people using campus network services are who they claim to be and are accessing resources they are authorized to use. Identity management provides a platform for more efficient provisioning of Network IDs; enhanced self-service tools for managing IDs and passwords; and forms a foundation for Single-Sign-On capabilities to network-based computer applications and services. Identity management will also provide accountability tools helpful to the University in complying with State and Federal regulations, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB).


Subscribing to the Schooner News Server

For those of you who may not know or may not remember, "schooner.siu.edu" is the SIU campus-wide News (Usenet) Server, and has been around for about 10 years. There are no subscription requirements, as with some commercially available News Servers, so there is no need to create, remember, or enter a userid or password when subscribing to Schooner, or reading any of its articles.

For users who have the Mozilla Thunderbird client, you can create a News Account just like you create a Mail Account (albeit choosing "News" in place of "Mail", obviously). These are the basic steps (for Thunderbird) to set up a News Account:

  1. Select "File/New/Account" from the toolbar menu
  2. Select Newsgroup account" at the bottom of the list in the New Account Setup window
  3. Enter your Name and E-mail information in the Identity window
  4. Enter "schooner.siu.edu" as the Newsgroup Server in the Server Information window
  5. Review the account setup and click FINISH to create it

To subscribe to newsgroups on "schooner.siu.edu,"

  1. Select the News Account in the main account "pane" for Schooner
  2. After connecting to Schooner and getting a list of available newsgroups, scroll through the Subscribe window and select newsgroups to subscribe to. Expand categories and subcategories by clicking on the "+" gadget to the left of their name
  3. When finished selecting newsgroups to subscribe to, click on the "OK" button to complete the process

To view a newsgroup article,

  1. Select the News (Server) account in the main account pane
  2. Expand the collapsed list of subscribed newsgroups
  3. Select desired newsgroup and download headers (subject, from, date)
  4. Scroll through list of headers and select one to view
  5. Text of article will be displayed in the Message Pane (or a new window, depending how Thunderbird is configured)

You may reply, forward, print, or save newsgroup articles just like you would with e-mail. There are currently about 4,500 newsgroups to choose from on Schooner. More newsgroups may be added upon request to "netnews@siu.edu." Welcome to the world of Network/Usenet News!


Data Encryption Software

GnuPG (GPG), the opensource/free data encryption software, for Unix, Mac, and Windows platforms, can also be used to encrypt mail with a plugin/extension for many mail clients. To assist GPG users who wish to exchange public keys so they may then exchange encrypted mail (or files), there is an experimental GnuPG "key server" where (GPG or PGP) public keys may be saved and retrieved from

sks-server.siu.edu:11371/

While a small set of non-SIU related keys were initially loaded into this key server, it does not exchange keys with other key servers on the Internet. GnuPG and some of its related mail plugins have the ability to use this key server directly.

To help with GnuPG in general, there are a number of articles on the "schooner.siu.edu" SIU News server in several "siuc.security," and other related, newsgroups. General questions about problems related to using GnuPG (GPG) can be directed to jimd@dutton2.it.siu.edu.


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