[Web4lib] Outside disk usage

Tue Aug 16 14:15:59 EDT 2005

No, those are valid concerns, and one every library takes on when it
provides public access.

The best you can do is provide protection for your equipment by
segretating the system from any staff computers or servers, and then
locking (via software or hardware) the hard drive from any changes...

You can set BIOS to refuse to boot from anything but the C: drive, and
password protect BIOS to prevent BIOS to prevent anyone from getting into
BIOS and changing the boot drive order, which would prevent Live CD's and
other insidious features to load and use your network resources. DHCP
ranges in public computers is a bad idea, too (patrosn unplug library
computers, plug their laptops in and enjoy access).

Of course... if BIOS is open, a person can change the boot drive, load a
Live CD from D: (or even from a flash USB or other media) and basically
wreck havoc if that's their desire. Of course, most libraries have policy
against the use of computers in this fashion, but policy only works as
prevention if the patron cares.

On Tue, August 16, 2005 14:04, Mitchell, Michael said:
> I'd be most concerned about someone bringing in a device with Linux set
up on it and bypassing Windows entirely in order to attack the library
network or other outside network. It is easy enough to prevent this but
without adequate safety measures this could be entirely possible I
think. I'd be especially concerned about someone using the library PC as
a platform to attack another large important network. Maybe I'm just
overly paranoid.
>
> Michael Mitchell
> Technical Services Librarian
> Brazosport College
> Lake Jackson, TX
> michael.mitchell at brazosport.edu
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of
> MJEAN.WILLIAMSADAMS
> Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 11:31 AM
> To: Richard Wiggins; Web4Lib
> Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Outside disk usage
>
> I would like to read your policies and procedures and know how you
manage the purchase and use of all the media you allow your patrons
access to in your library (floppy disk, CDs, zip disk, and blank CDs).
>
> I am interested in how you secure your computers to prevent viruses, etc.
>
>
> M Jean Williams Adams
> Systems Librarian
> Coleman Memorial Library
> Florida A&M University
> Tallahassee, FL 32307-4700
> Phone: (850) 561-2131
> Fax:     (850) 561-2599
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Richard Wiggins Sent:
Tue 8/16/2005 9:18 AM
> To: Web4Lib
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] Outside disk usage
>
>
>
> Wild, outrageous, risky prediction: This will change. :-) /rich
>
> On 8/16/05, Michele Haytko <michele.haytko at gmail.com> wrote:
>> We dont allow plugins like thumb drives, either. We've had maybe a
dozen in the last year try to use them? Maybe?
>> Thanks,
>> michele
>> On 16/08/05, Richard Wiggins <richard.wiggins at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Somewhat related question: how often do people show up with pocket
> USB
>> flash
>> > drives and expect to plug them in?
>> > Many geeks such as myself always carry one -- I have for years now
> --
>> but I
>> > see these as offering so much value that I expect everyone who is
>> computer
>> > literate to carry one. Yet the penetration rate seems lower than I
>> would've
>> > expected.
>> > Do your patrons have any problems accessing the USB port? Many
> computers
>> > now offer front USB ports, but they don't always work. At our
>> university, we
>> > have some models of Dell computers in our computer labs that have
> the
>> curved
>> > panel you have to raise in order to get to the USB port. The USB
> port on
>> the
>> > computer is at an awkward angle, not 90 degrees as it ought to be.
> And
>> the
>> > space is constraned so that if you have a bulky USB device, you
> cannot
>> plug
>> > it in.
>> > Over time I would expect folks to use USB devices as a large data
> pail
>> to
>> > carry home oodles of useful content they find at the library. In
> fact as
>> > prices for USB flash devices continue to fall, patrons may walk up
> to
>> the
>> > desk hoping to buy a flash drive. (Some universities are already
> looking
>> at
>> > distributing antivirus tookkits to students on flash drives instead
> of
>> CD.
>> > The student loads the software and then has a usable flash drive
> with
>> the IT
>> > department's logo and contact number imprinted on it.)
>> > /rich
>> > PS -- I predict that mass-market USB flash drives will often double
> as
>> MP3
>> > players -- THEN they will be in everyone's pocket.
>> > On 8/16/05, Phillip Whitford <PWhitford at braswell-library.org> wrote:
>> > >
>> > > Like some of the others who have responded I think your policy
> against
>> > > outside storage media may be to restrictive. But to answer your
>> question
>> > > we treat left behind storage media just like any other personal
>> property
>> > > left in the library. We hold on to it for at least 30 days in case
>> they
>> > > return for it. After 30 days it is disposed of.
>> > >
>> > > For the record we allow patrons to bring in their own floppy
> disks,
>> > > flash drives, zip disks, and blank CDs. They can buy disks and CDs
>> from
>> > > us if they don't have their own. It hasn't caused any security or
>> virus
>> > > problems.
>> > >
>> > > Phillip B. Whitford
>> > > Manager Information Technology
>> > > Braswell Memorial Library
>> > > Rocky Mount, NC 27804
>> > > Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my organization.
>> > >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Web4lib mailing list
>> > Web4lib at webjunction.org
>> > http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
>> >
>> --
>> **************)0(**************
>> Mrs. C. Michele Haytko
>> Montgomery County-
>> Norristown Public Library
>> MC-NPL Computer Lab
>> 1001 Powell Street
>> Norristown, PA 19401
>> 610-278-5100 Ext. 141
>> "Be the change you wish to see in the world." -Gandhi
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