[plug] School proxy/monitoring saga

[Beau Kuiper]

On Fri, 16 Jun 2000, David Griffiths wrote:
> >Just a quick note on this subject.  The local primary school were having
> >horrendous problems getting a few networking problems sorted out.  As well,
> >a Wingate solution had been set up for them to access the Internet, which
> >was woeful.
> >
> >We installed a stand-alone Linux box as the Internet gateway with Squid.
> >The machine was a second hand Pentium that set the school back about $400.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> >
> >Cheers
> >Colin Rothnie
> 
> Interesting story Colin, particularly your comment about "Education
> Department approved" networking consultants not being amenable to linux.
> 
> I'm having the same problem with my kids primary school - the Principal's
> response  to my suggestion of having a linux gateway for their new network
> was very similar - he felt bound to abide by the advice given by "Education
> Department approved" networking consultants ie an expensive NT based
> solution (using the main server as the firewall from memory - yuk!).

Doesn't this bound on insanity. Ports 137 and 139 are very vulnerable ports and
should never see the light of an internet connection esp if you care about your
data! Using the main server as the firewall opens up the very real possibility
that these ports will be exposed to the internet with a static IP. Screams out
crack me! It just seems very silly to have so much critical data sitting on any
easy to access (from the internet) server.

BTW, what quality does NT firewalls give compared to linux firewalls (out of
interest)

have fun
Beau Kuiper
kuiperba at cs.curtin.edu.au

> 
> Our school (a Montessori school) is largely financed by school fees - so
> it's doubly sad to see  money being wasted in this way.
> 
> cheers,
> 
> Dave.
> 
> 
> 
>  ========================================================================
> 
>   David Griffiths                             griffith at environ.wa.gov.au
> 
>   Air Quality Management Branch
>   Department of Environmental Protection          Phone:   61 8 9222 7151
> 
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