[Year 12 IPM] Proxy avoiding web sites andindividual user accounts

[Bryan Whelan]

The issue here is not the big budget blow out so much, it is the fact that
these sites bypass your security protocols. If you aren't sure try accessing
one of these sites  (mentioned below) as a student. If you can get in your
internet security is vulnerable.

We at Drouin, have been dealing with this problem for some time. Editure and
SINA have really done nothing about it and it is high time they and others
address this problem. They can collectively block porn and racist sites, why
not these?

Our current reaction to students caught using these sites is to treat it as
criminal activity because it is. We send letters home, contact parents and
in some cases suspensions have been issued. That is, we treat it very
seriously. So far the message has gotten through to the students

My hope is that a technological solution is out there


Bryan Whelan

IT MANAGER
DROUIN SECONDARY COLLEGE

-----Original Message-----
From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au] On
Behalf Of Cameron Bell
Sent: Wednesday, 13 December 2006 4:08 PM
To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management Teachers'
Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IPM] Proxy avoiding web sites andindividual user
accounts

PS - I am not associated with Bright Sparks in any way. ;) (We use SINA too,
but looked at the BS option to keep costs down as well)

Cameron Bell wrote:
> Why not switch to Bright Sparks unlimited-download plan for $550 per
month?
> What sort of traffic plan are you on currently?
>
> Laurie Savage wrote:
>   
>> Can you log the indivdual students and kill their accounts? We had a 
>> budget blow-out in 2005 because of a sudden upsurge in downloads of 
>> videos and songs. We threatened and then hit the kids with an 
>> Internet levy and told them why. This year, with reminders, we are on 
>> track budget-wise.
>>
>> As a last resort kill the Internet for a while - that works wonders.
>>
>> Laurie
>>
>> kgration at myrtlefordsc.vic.edu.au wrote:
>>     
>>> Dear List,
>>>
>>> During the last few months our wonderful students have discovered 
>>> treasure troves of proxy avoiding web sites (e.g. vtunnel, kproxy, 
>>> flyproxy etc. etc. etc.) with multiple variations of each of these 
>>> and numerous others as the URL. Most of these sites are secure (i.e.
>>> https:// rather than http://) so are difficult to block or usually 
>>> totally unblockable using the SINA front end. The Year 10-12 
>>> students are particularly notorious for this kind of behaviour. 
>>> Blocking the source IP address appears to be the only rather 
>>> fragmented solution to this problem . . . but this essentially 
>>> amounts to a game of catch up . . . and without a full time tech. 
>>> usually means a call to Editure . . . who aren't always 100% successful
either.
>>>
>>> Not surprisingly our Internet budget has basically been blown as a 
>>> result. I am now considering taking away individual user accounts 
>>> for student Internet use and having Learning Area, Year Level or 
>>> some other account structure where teachers enter the password for 
>>> students in their care.
>>>
>>> Does anyone out there have any gems of wisdom (bright ideas) or 
>>> perspectivesto share in this area?
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Kim
>>>
>>> ---
>>> Kim Gration
>>> ICT Manager
>>> Myrtleford Secondary College
>>> http://www.myrtlefordsc.vic.edu.au
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe 
>>> IPM Mailing List kindly supported by http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - 
>>> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and 
>>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
>>> Teachers Association Inc
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>
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