The annual updates for Bear Access, Cornell's package of online services, will be rolling out this month. This year's changes include updated virus protection: Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition 9.0 for Windows and Norton AntiVirus 9.0.2 for Mac OS X. Because of the high level of virus and worm activity observed on campus recently, LiveUpdate on Windows will be configured to update daily at a random time within two hours of noon. Some departments manage their virus protection software differently; check with your local technical support personnel.
The Bear Access button for downloading antivirus updates now will point to a Web page, http://www.cit.cornell.edu/software/downloads/antivirus/, which will always have the latest virus definitions.
On Mac OS, the Eudora mail program is also being updated to version 6.1. The new version is especially recommended for people who choose to use Eudora with IMAP, an e-mail protocol that stores messages on a server rather than downloading them. On Windows, the current version of Eudora, 5.2.1, will not be changed.
There are also minor updates for SideCar and related authentication software on both Mac OS X and Windows. For a complete summary of changes, see http://www.cit.cornell.edu/bearaccess/fall04.html.
The new software is ready to download for Mac OS and will be ready on June 15 for Windows. Bear Access users will see a dialog box asking whether you wish to accept the updates. Alternatively, you can go to the Bear Access Web site, http://www.cit.cornell.edu/bearaccess/, to download new installers. Fall 2004 CDs and instruction booklets will be available by August at the Cornell Information Technologies (CIT) Contact Center (HelpDesk) in 119 Computing and Communications Center. Questions about the new release should be directed to the Contact Center, helpdesk@cornell.edu or 255-8990.
If you own your own computer, or manage the software on a university-owned computer, you are responsible for ensuring the security of that computer on the net. This includes keeping the operating system software up to date and following sound security practices, such as running anti-virus software, keeping that software up to date and running a personal firewall. Additionally, you are responsible for responding to and assisting with security incident response as required.
When a computer connected to the university network is compromised by a worm, virus or intruder ("hacker"), this incident must be reported by e-mail to security@cornell.edu.
The hardware and network addresses of every computer connected to the campus network must be registered along with the NetID of the person using the computer. In most cases your network administrator will do this for you, or it will happen automatically (for example, when students subscribe to ResNet).
Another policy released this past April spells out rules for requesting Internet domain names, such as <sample.cornell.edu>.
For more information about these new policies, see http://www.cit.cornell.edu/oit/policy/june04.html.
@cornell.edu was compiled by Stacy Pendell of CIT.
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