CIS News: January 2005

Are you being spied on? The latest Spyware threat.

Spyware is a growing cybersecurity threat at universities and colleges according to EDUCAUSE (non-profit association focused on IT in higher education, www.educause.edu).

EDUCAUSE reports that "The most recent form of this data security problem is Marketscore. This type of spyware software directs all Web traffic through a marketing company's servers, allowing them to potentially view any information a user sends or receives through their Web browser."

What can you do to protect yourself?

1. Get protection: Use an anti-spyware product
"Spybot Search & Destroy" for Windows is free and available from the Software download page at http://software.brown.edu/dist/w-spybotsd.html. (Note that there is no local support for this product)

2. Boost your Spyware IQ
Spyware is often contracted when installing a download of freeware or a shareware application. While it may be manifested in annoying pop-up ads, more insidiously, behind-the-scenes these programs pass information back to their publishers who monitor your browsing behaviors and sometimes harvest your name, email address and other personnel information. Read more at www.spywareguide.com/.

3. Look before your leap: Don't install spyware programs
Make sure you install programs from well-know, reputable companies. Avoid programs such as KaZaa, Gator, Morpheus, most web search toolbars and pop-up blocking software. An exception is the Google toolbar or built in pop-up blockers in certain browsers like Firefox.

4. Learn more about the latest threat, "Marketscore"
Visit EDUCAUSE's Spyware/Adware site to view a listing of resources. You can find more information at www.educause.edu/Browse/645&PARENT_ID=741)

Think your computer might already be infected? Common symptoms include an unusually slow or unstable performance, random pop-up ads or being redirected unexpectedly when Web-browsing. Contact the Help Desk (3-HELP) for assistance in removing the unwanted program.

Introducing a new spam solution: Proofpoint

On January 18, CIS launched a more effective spam defense, replacing SpamAssassin with Proofpoint in Brown´s e-mail delivery system. Users who have been following CIS´ filtering instructions will immediately get the benefit of the enhanced spam identification capabilities of Proofpoint.

In the coming weeks, CIS will enable the quarantine mechanism, which will give all campus users, regardless of email client, relief from the annoying spam torrent.

Proofpoint applies many of the same spam identification measures as do other products, augmenting those measures with a machine-learning approach that has proven to be highly effective (90+%). It also provides the ability to create "accept" and "block" lists for specific addresses.

More importantly, once its quarantine capability is implemented, Proofpoint will greatly expand the benefits of central spam defenses to the campus. Rather than having to configure filtering rules in email clients to direct spam out of Inboxes, spam won't arrive in the Inbox at all. Instead, a periodic digest email will be sent listing the date and subject of the suspected spam messages. The messages are held in quarantine and automatically deleted after a period of time, or the user may choose to release messages from quarantine for delivery.

-Proofpoint's improved spam detection capability plus its quarantine mechanism should prove to be an effective and usable spam defense for Brown. Read more in our Spam FAQ.

New/Transfer Students Pick up PAW Prints Cards at CIT; New Color Print Prices

New/transfer students and those who have not already picked up their PAW Prints free print card may do so at the Dispatch window in the lobby of the CIT building (next to the Help Desk). The card is worth $25 of free black & white printing to any PAW Prints printer for the 2004-2005 academic year (not applicable towards color printing). Students who received a PAW Prints card last semester are not eligible for another card.

Charges for color printing to PAW Print color printers will be reduced for the second semester. New prices are $0.65 per page, single-sided and $1.00 per page, double-sided. Color printers are located in the Rock and Science Libraries.

Register now for Computer Classes

Free hands-on training from CIS Computer Education is now open for registration. Classes include: Windows XP, Macintosh OSX, Excel, Outlook Email & Calendar, PowerPoint, Dreamweaver and Word. The winter session begins January 6. Since size is limited, early registration is recommended. Visit the Computer Education web site for details.

Digital Age Faculty Showcase - January 20

The Instructional Technology Group will sponsor a "Teaching in the Digital Age Faculty Showcase" on January 20th. This all-day event is an opportunity for faculty to hear and see what colleagues are doing to enhance the educational experience at Brown. The day will include:

• Faculty discussing ways to improve communication and feedback in the classroom
• How to incorporate multimedia projects into both lectures and assignments
• How to use technology to reduce course bookkeeping
• A student panel to provide their perceptions of using technology in teaching
• And...the Best of WebCT awards

For details about the sessions and to register for the day, please visit the Teaching in the Digital Age Schedule and Registration page.