Show Network Security Needed Anyone for a free albeit illegal copy of WordPerfect or Lotus 2 1 Pursuing rumors of pirated illegally copied software and nonexistent network security the Horizon has knowledge that any student can transfer a working copy of Wordperfect from the VAX network onto a removable computer dis dis- kette Using standard DOS commands as taught in Computer Literacy CL classes we had access to every program available available available avail avail- able in the Student Computer Lab CT 16 This situation has apparently existed since the network was installed Software piracy in schools is a legitimate concern of software manufacturers Although educational institutions have taken steps to control the problem the academic world has earned a reputation for its indiscriminate copying of copyrighted material including software The programs used throughout the campus are licensed from their various manufacturers Those licenses specify how many copies of the program may be in use and require that the software be secured from illegal duplication In a previous Horizon article Computer Networking Comes to 21 Nov 1988 2 James Wood associate professor of computer technology expressed his concerns regarding security on the VAX network In light of our findings the desire of the Computer Science Department for a department- department level Local Area Network LAN in lieu of direct connection to the mainframe is well considered Although a secure network operating system is planned for future installation the current situation is both embarrassing and at least theoretically places the college and the student association association association as as- in a tenuous legal position owns the mainframe the computers belong to the student association and the software is there for anyone unscrupulous enough to steal a copy The Horizon feels that the issue of security in computer computer com corn puter labs must be immediately addressed We also ask that the year two-year-old policy concerning campus networks and LANs be reconsidered in light of today's technology We feel that the specialized computing needs of each department should be met in the most economical and secure manner pos pos- sible |