[Web4lib] Securing public computers

[Jon Stuckel]

We use DeepFreeze 6 as a 'safety net', but public account restrictions
are set via Group Policy in Server 2003.  Group Policy restrictions the
prevent the small, aggravating changes like setting inappropriate images
as wallpaper without having to reboot to fix the problem.  

DeepFreeze allows for an idle timer that will reboot the computer after
a few minutes of inactivity, but that won't guarantee a fresh, clean
computer for every user.

There are so many possible avenues for public users to make changes that
would be unacceptable to the next public user.  I would be uncomfortable
abandoning either piece of the solution now that they are both in place.
Our downtime of public computers, barring downtime caused by hardware
failure, is nearly nil.

As for updates, we use Windows Server Update Service, a freebie from
Microsoft, to manage Windows updates.  Deep Freeze supports it via its
scheduled 'thawed' maintenance periods.

Jon Stuckel
Network Administrator
Mid Columbia Library
jstuckel at mcl-lib.org

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Michael McEvoy
Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 6:41 AM
To: Robin
Cc: Erjavek, Ed; web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: RE: [Web4lib] Securing public computers

We use Deep Freeze in addition to WinU and PWB and a few minor Registry
tweaks. The combination has resulted in fairly stable systems requiring
minor administration... only downside is that updates are a major chore.

On Fri, April 6, 2007 9:08 am, Robin wrote:
- > We use DeepFreeze and it is invaluable to us. A reboot cleans up
*any*
- > problem caused in the last session. We now have a network admin who
- > knows how to do things with group policies, but that's only recent,
and
- > Deep Freeze has saved us hundreds of hours of maintenance/repair
over
- > the last few years. We make very little use of policies and probably
- > never will.
- >
- > -----Original Message-----
- > From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
- > [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Erjavek, Ed
- > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 5:03 PM
- > To: web4lib at webjunction.org
- > Subject: [Web4lib] Securing public computers
- >
- > We're interested in whether libraries are using a product like
Centurion
- > Guard or a comparable product in conjunction with setting various
- > policies
- > in the Active Directory in Server 2003 to secure public computers.
Is CG
- > somewhat redundant to setting the policies in the AD or is it good
to be
- > used in conjunction with setting the policies in the AD? Also, would
CG
- > save
- > some time for the IT staff instead of having to setting so many
policies
- > in
- > the AD?
- >
- >
- >
- >
- >
- >
- >
- > _______________________________________________
- > Web4lib mailing list
- > Web4lib at webjunction.org
- > http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
- > _______________________________________________
- > Web4lib mailing list
- > Web4lib at webjunction.org
- > http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/
- >


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