Security problems using Win'95

[Sayed Z. Hassan]

Sayed Z. Hassan wrote:
> 
> Would you please post this message!
> 
> Dear Colleagues:
> 
> Our library has several Pentium computers dedicated for Netscape usage
> only.  These computers have Netscape browser and running on Windows 95
> operating system (each PC has 32 MB of random access memory).  One of
> our many objectives is to provide uninterrupted web, ftp and telnet
> search capabilities to our patrons.  However, users frequently break
> into desktop systems and change settings.
> 
> To protect computers from intruders to change settings, we customized
> registry files and installed third party security software.  We use
> Winshield 95 software (http://www.citadel.com) to protect desktop
> setting and IKIOSK (http://www.hypertec.com) to customize Netscape
> settings.  Currently, we are facing the following two challenges,
> 
> 1) Intruder breaks into system INI files and change settings
> 2) Netscape browser freezes frequently (only those computers have IKIOSK
> and Winshield 95 software installed) while trying to save documents to
> 'A' drive.
> 
> Proposed expansion:
> 
> By next few months we will add more Netscape terminals for public use.
> We plan to purchase desktop NT workstations 9with 64MB) and an NT
> server.
> 
> We want to setup a LAN so each NT workstations will load Netscape
> software from NT server (if possible, load NT workstation software
> also).  Can this be accomplished?
> 
> We want to setup NT workstations to protect unauthorized system
> configuration change.  How can we accomplish it?
> 
> I am sure many of you have already overcome above challenges.  Your
> comments, suggestions and technical expertise would help us to provide
> more stable-computing environment to our patrons.
> 
> Thank you in advance for your time.
> 
> Sayed Z. Hassan (email: hassan at njit.edu)
> Van Houten Library
> New Jersey Institute of Technology
> Newark, NJ 07102-1982