[Web4lib] blocking myspaceIM

Fri Apr 18 19:46:08 EDT 2008

There are several rather easy and not so easy methods to block Myspace
IM.  

If you are creating a fresh master base image you can probably use Group
Policy Editor to control what your public account can do.  This one is
the most complicated and time consuming which I do not recommend unless
you're starting a fresh build of a base system.

For a quick fix, which we use, we actually install the software.  For
MySpace IM or any other IM for Windows, it will ask you to download
and/or run.  Run the installer directly from IE and it will typically
ask you if you want to run the software.  

Ever since Win2k (I think, might have even been ME), Microsoft has
required software and drivers to be digitally signed by the authors to
basically say this is really the software you are downloading.  So when
you run the MySpace IM installer from IE, it will ask you if want to run
it from this Publisher.  For XP2, hit more options and you can tell XP
to "Never run software from "MySpace Inc."  This can be used for any
publisher including "unknown" if software is not signed.

This will only work if you have safeguards to prevent extensive
modifications to your XP configuration by the public which goes back to
using Group Policy editor or manual Registry Edits along with something
like PWB, Centurian Guard, Cybrarian, Library Online, etc.  In addition
to locking down the account patrons use, we also use Deep Freeze.
Faronics also makes an anti-executable software, but there are of course
additional license fees.

However, if you have none of these safeguards, you probably need to
re-evaluate your systems top to bottom first before you can tackle this
exploit or any others.

-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Wesley Johnson
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 6:54 AM
To: Chadwick, John, DCA
Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org.
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] blocking myspaceIM

We're on a peer-to-peer network, which, sadly, rules out some of the
more
high end filtering software.Terry, if I remember correctly, you have
something on your network that allows for you to browse the screen of
any
patron you expect of suspicious activity. I'd love to have something
like
that on mine.

On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 4:12 PM, Chadwick, John, DCA <
john.chadwick at state.nm.us> wrote:

>
> Our public machines all run Windows XP.  We use a combination of
> Centurion and group policy to prevent patrons from downloading and
> installing applications on the public machines.
>
> John
>
>
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
> John Chadwick, Ed.D. Information Technology Manager
> New Mexico State Library
> 1209 Camino Carlos Rey
> Santa Fe, NM 87507
> Phone: 505-476-9740  Cell: 505-629-8116 Fax: 505-476-9761
> john.chadwick at state.nm.us
> http://www.nmstatelibrary.org
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
> [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Wesley Johnson
> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 1:18 PM
> To: web4lib at webjunction.org.
> Subject: Re: [Web4lib] blocking myspaceIM
>
> We tried Deep Freeze, Steady State, and Clean Slate, however, they all
> seemed to create more problems than it solved for us. I love the
thought
> of
> what they can do, I just wish they'd have worked out for our network.
>
>
>
> On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 1:53 PM, Anthony Fitzwater
> <AFitzwater at ajcity.net>
> wrote:
>
> > We don't have this problem (yet) but usually if we do have problems
> our
> > desktop security software (Fortres 101) will stop anything from
being
> > installed.  We also use DeepFreeze which is probably the best
> investment
> > we have ever made for our PC's.  If they DO happen to install
> something,
> > just reboot and it's gone!
> >
> > Anthony Fitzwater
> > Systems Administrator
> > Apache Junction Public Library
> > 1177 N. Idaho Rd.
> > Apache Junction, AZ 85219
> > (480) 474-8577
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
> > [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Wesley Johnson
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 11:40 AM
> > To: web4lib at webjunction.org.
> > Subject: [Web4lib] blocking myspaceIM
> >
> > Hello All,
> >
> > Sarah, of Librarianinblack.net, suggested that I pose this question
to
> > you
> > all.
> >
> > Our patrons have been obsessively installing Myspace IM on the
public
> > PCs
> > even though our electronic agreement forbids them to. And, sadly,
they
> > have
> > a tendency to leave the "run at startup" box checked which causes
our
> > machines to boot even slower. Most of our computers are of a decent
> > speed,
> > however, some are slow enough when booting on their own without the
> > added
> > weight of another program starting when we turn it on.
> >
> > I had successfully blocked the program for a while. I added some
URLs
> in
> > to
> > our Sonicwall Content Filter that caused any installation of
MyspaceIM
> > to
> > error out. But now the site has apparently shuffled things around a
> bit
> > and
> > the two URLs that I used caused images not to display on the site.
> This,
> > in
> > my opinion, isn't a bad thing but our patrons tend to disagree.
> >
> > Is there any way to use the Sonicwall to block MyspaceIM from being
> > installed without hampering the site's ability to be displayed? I
> > currently
> > have an intrusion prevention measure set that prevents users from
> being
> > able
> > to login, but I'd like to keep the program from being installed at
> all.
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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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