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Security for Windows

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In light of the many viruses and network attacks directed against Windows systems (klez, myparty, Code Red, nimda, etc.), proper security planning is a necessity for departments using Windows 2000 (W2K) or Windows XP (WXP) and Microsoft software such as Outlook, Exchange, or Internet Information Server (IIS).

Common security practices and updates have consistently kept most systems secured against such attacks. But the staff time required to maintain reasonable security is rather costly. NACS will continue to publish the best available information on installation, configuration, and security of Windows systems. (See http://www.nacs.uci.edu/w2kinfo andhttp://www.nacs.uci.edu/security/virus.html).

Windows system administrators are advised to consider Microsoft’s HFNetCheck tool as a good internal Hot Fix/service Pack auditing tool for W2K/IIS systems. Microsoft Baseline Security Advisor (which works with HFNetCheck) or Cerberus Internet Scanner v.5.02 are also worthwhile simple, free security auditing tools.

NACS hosts periodic meetings with Computing Support Coordinators and other departmental Windows system administrators to discuss security and other timely issues. Please contact NACS if you would like to participate.

NACS also hosts a number of discussion lists which provide timely information on virus and security issues, including UC-Antivirus, Network-Security-Alerts, and UCICSCG. Interested readers are invited to browse http://www.nacs.uci.edu/org/nacslists.html for descriptions of these and other lists, or to subscribe.

New Windows

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Microsoft released the first version of Windows XP (WXP) this year, less than two years after release of Windows 2000 (W2K). Many schools and departments are working to make use of new features in W2K and WXP, including the Graduate School of Management, Health Sciences, University Extension, Network and Academic Computing Services, Claire Trevor School of Arts, and numerous smaller departments.

NACS has sponsored a series of W2K and WXP courses for interested system administrators covering Active Directory (AD) and Windows security issues. There was great interest in those classes from various groups and we hope to facilitate sharing experiences between groups currently deploying Windows and others just planning their migration.

As Windows NT will no longer be supported by Microsoft as of this summer, many departments are assessing their migration paths. Windows XP server, otherwise known as “.Net Server”, is undergoing a series of beta releases and security checks with a final release expected in December. All desktops purchased with Windows should now come with XP, and we consider XP the long-term platform of choice. While some departments migrated to W2K last year, others are now in the awkward position of working with an unsupported operating system (NT) or facing two migrations (W2K and WXP) in short succession.

NACS experts are available to departments assessing their migration needs. We have helped several departments with planning, budgeting, training, and support. If you are interested in investigating a beta release of .Net Server, please contact NACS. We’d be happy to work with you.

Windows 2000 Training

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UCI is one of 50 US colleges and universities who have been awarded a training grant by Microsoft Research and University Relations. This grant will cover a three-course program of focused training in the administration of Windows 2000 in a university environment.

The donated training is targeted to IT professionals working in schools and departments that are in the process of, or very near migrating to Microsoft’s new operating system.

Over spring break, NACS hosted Phase 1 “Planning and Installing Windows 2000 in a University Environment” for 15 System Analysts, Technical Services Managers and NT Support Specialists from a variety of departments and schools, including the College of Medicine, Biological Sciences, the UCI Libraries, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, Social Ecology, and University Extension.

The second class will focus on integrating Windows 2000 with UCI network services (e.g., DNS) and the final class will focus on Windows 2000 security. These two courses will be conducted during Spring quarter.