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Handling Viruses in an Uncontrolled Network?
An anonymous reader asks: "Recently I've gotten a (volunteer) job looking after a small (approximately 500 computer) network, located within a large block of student flats.
We've been having numerous problems with viruses over a few years. They spread like crazy on our network, with 100megabit connections in every residents room. Every so often they 'go off' and start a flood, which of course takes the entire residence network down. I've tried desperately to educate users on the virus problem, but those that are the problem don't care - they ignore every warning they get and just buy a faster computer to compensate for their systems sluggishness. As we only need two or three ping flooding computers to bring down the network it's hard to keep our network up whenever a worm starts its payload. What solutions have Slashdot readers came up with this and similar problems?"
"Keep in mind that I'm doing this on a volunteer basis, and that my own study time and personal life takes first priority. The residence isn't prepared to spend more money bringing help or a replacement in, which I can understand given that I pay them rent that I would prefer not to increase. I also don't have any control over the network infrastructure itself, just over our DHCP server. I can't force users to keep their computers safe, as I don't own the things - all it seems I can do is point them to the *FREE!* virus scanner and local Windows update mirror and urge them to protect their computer, and offer to help out those that need it - (although due to time constraints, personally helping out everyone in a 500 member network isn't a possibility).
I can also email off a request to have certain IPs dropped off at the switch, but those users have to come back online soon enough. Whenever someone is infected I try and sit them down and make them realize that keeping their computer safe is their responsibility, and they always seem very attentive whenever we're discussing when they get reconnected to the network, but soon after they'll be infected again."
I can also email off a request to have certain IPs dropped off at the switch, but those users have to come back online soon enough. Whenever someone is infected I try and sit them down and make them realize that keeping their computer safe is their responsibility, and they always seem very attentive whenever we're discussing when they get reconnected to the network, but soon after they'll be infected again."
... Require users to have their OS reloaded...
Yes, load Linux, or better yet get a Mac with OSX Tiger for $499.00 instead of waiting a whole year or more for longjohn or whatever MS will call it. Right away you'll get most if not all features or more of the vapor-ware long-whatever that MS promises you might get eventually.
Disconnect the old malware infested Wintel boxes from the net and use them for games. The network will likely be fine for the forseeable future after that, since so far there are NO malwares out on the Internet that affect OSX computers. Who cares WHY there are no malwares for the Mac. The facts are there are none and so why not tell the users about that loud and clear?
All theory is gray