In September 2007, NACS changed the configuration of the campus network to improve security. UCI’s Internet firewall (a device that controls off-campus access to UCI computers) now denies inbound connections except the ones that have been approved in advance by faculty and staff. This protects most campus systems from unauthorized access while preserving off-campus connectivity wherever it is needed.
Directing Network Traffic
The process of authorizing specific off-campus connections is called “server registration” although it is not limited to servers in the traditional sense. If you own or manage a computer that needs to accept network connections from off campus, you can define what kinds of access are needed using a Web-based form. You can then manage all the machines you are responsible for, using a set of online tools. Please check with your local support, because some units coordinate server registration on behalf of users.
Registration offers a simplified configuration process for common situations, such as remote access — secure shell (SSH) or Microsoft Remote Desktop — or systems that really are servers and are already protected by firewalls. If you manage a large number of systems, you can register them as a group by email request to security@uci.edu .
Since server registration was implemented last September, 4.5 billion unauthorized probes from off campus have been blocked, or roughly 12 million per day.
A more complete description of this service and how to use it can be found on the server registration web page.