Prohibited and Undesirable ("Bad") Software
SUMMARY - Please do NOT download or
install
any freeware or software. If it is specifically related to
your job duties, we request that you call the OIT Help Desk and request
assistance first!
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This page was developed to provide definitions and information
on the types of software that may have been installed on the
workstation in your office. In addition, a list of prohibited
and undesirable software, as referred to in the memo
by Dr. Stanton on January 17, 2002, is posted.
Spyware - There is considerable
debate, even among the experts, on what exactly constitutes
Spyware. One characteristic in common is the ability
of these types of programs or technology to gather information
about a person or organization without their knowledge.
It can get onto a workstation through a virus or through the
installation of a program. If you install a program
and agree to the EULA (End User Licensing Agreements), this
would not necessarily be considered Spyware since you agreed
to the EULA in order for the program to install itself on
the workstation. Most people will not read through a lengthy
EULA, particularly when it is full of legal-sounding terms
- they will just click Next or OK to get the program quickly
installed.
Be very careful of shareware or freeware, know exactly
what type of information it intends to gather about you, the
web sites you visit and the ad banners you click on, as well
as what they intend to do with that information and who they
intend to share it with! Some common examples of software
that may be considered Spyware include Gator, DoubleClick,
Yo Mama, Osama (game), Aureate Media, Hotbar, Comet Cursor,
Conducent Timesink, Cydoor, Flashpoint/Flashtrack,
GoHip, Mattel Brodcast, SongSpy, Web3000, WebHancer, and RadLight. For more
information, visit
http://netsecurity.about.com/
Scumware - Scumware most
often will disguise itself as Adware, when in actuality, it
can track what you are doing on the web, and even alter the
contents of a web page without your knowledge, or the knowledge
of the site's owner! Common scumware programs include
OfferCompanion (it comes installed with Gator, you just aren't
informed), EZula, TopText, Surf+, and others.
Adware - As defined at http://whatis.techtarget.com,
Adware is "any software application in which advertising
banners are displayed while the program is running. The authors
of these applications include additional code that delivers
the ads, which can be viewed through pop-up windows or through
a bar that appears on a computer screen. The justification
for adware is that it "helps recover programming development
cost and helps to hold down the cost for the user."
In addition, some Adware programs will send personal information
to third parties without the user's knowledge or consent (see
Scumware). Some of the more common programs are BonziBuddy
and Tsadbot.
Malware - Malware (malicious
software) is any program or file that will alter or delete
files on the hard drive of a workstation. It is developed
for the purpose of doing harm. Included in this category
are viruses, Trojan horses, and Trojan worms.
Parasitic Software
- Most often, this software is installed via freeware without
the user's knowledge, it latches itself onto the web browser.
It can cause numerous, annoying, pop-up banner ad windows,
report what you do online back to marketing companies, leave
security holes in the system, add advertising links to web
pages, cause system degradation, use enormous amounts of bandwidth,
and cause system errors. Most often, virus scanning
software will not detect this type of program, they are technically
Trojans and not viruses.
Many of the parasitic programs identified by OIT so far
are bundled with other freeware programs. We have made
every attempt to identify these freeware programs and block
them through the firewall.
Prohibited Software
- Any form of pornography is prohibited on campus computers.
Policies have been written for the exact procedures
to implement when pornography is identified. (See
Enforcement of this Policy (Employees) at
http://www.etsu.edu/humanres/ppp/PPP-44.htm.
Child pornography is a federal offense. Anyone with
knowledge of child pornography on any campus computer is
legally obligated to report it to the proper authorities.
Undesirable Software
-
There are certain programs, mostly likely available as freeware
or shareware, that have proven to be "bandwidth suckers",
that is, they will use the workstation as a peer-to-peer server
for webcasting, therefore using huge amounts of campus bandwidth.
When this happens, the network slows down for everyone on
campus. Normally, these programs will show as spikes
on the bandwidth management program and may send alerts.
In the cases that OIT has investigated, the user was totally
unaware of what was occurring. As usual, be very careful
of what you are downloading and installing on the computers
in your department. Some of the peer-to-peer sharing programs
identified and disabled through the campus firewall are Napster, Morpheus, KaZaA, Radlight, MarketScore, and Chaincast. In
addition, the OIT
Code of Ethics prohibits the intentional use of viruses
for the purpose of infecting any campus computer. Please
review the Code of Ethics at this time.
Normally, these programs will show as spikes
on the bandwidth management program and may send alerts. Some
have been identified and blocked at the firewall. However,
more are developed and released everyday, so an extensive,
up-to-date list is virtually impossible to maintain.
We request that you NOT install HotBar on your
computer! If you already have it, please uninstall it
now.
ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Instant Messenger and
any other instant messaging programs should not be used.
In addition, there are programs that send continuous packets
across the network, once again, slowing things down and using
bandwidth unnecessarily. The most popular ones OIT has
encountered include WebShots, and any of the
stock-ticker
update programs. We request that you uninstall any of
these applications from the workstation in your office.
Some
of the information on this page is a compilation from several
reputable sites on the Internet. If you have comments, questions,
or concerns about the information you find here, please contact
the OIT Help Desk by phone (x94648, on campus, or (423) 439-4648
if you are calling from off campus) or send email to
oithelp@etsu.edu
last updated 06/24/04
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