A recent security breach that took place at on-campus computer labs has Camosun warning students about their computer usage habits and considering new measures to ensure workstations are logged off properly.
It was recently brought to the attention of Camosun security that an individual has been gaining internet access through student accounts and bragging online about how he or she was able to do so.
“Someone who is not a student here is walking in and basically stealing somebody’s account for their own purposes,” says Ian McLeod, head of the information technology department.
In light of the incident, reminders have been circulated and notices posted to emphasize the importance of logging off.
Although the college has no way of knowing if the perpetrator went beyond simply stealing internet access, McLeod warns that students need to be vigilant about protecting their accounts.
“Students are putting their own accounts at risk anytime they walk away from a computer and don’t log off,” he says.
McLeod is of the opinion that “there’s nothing dangerous about this particular situation,” but he says that if students continue forgetting to log off, a system may be put in place to do it for them.
“There are things we need to do around forcing the accounts to log off after a certain amount of time,” he says, admitting that students are often annoyed by an automatic log-off system.
“It’s a trade-off between convenience over security,” says McLeod. “That trade-off we’ve been relatively loose about because we haven’t had problems. Now we’re going to have to tighten up a little more.”
Tim Henderson, head of Camosun security, thinks the need to protect students and the college outweighs the need for convenient access to the computer system.
“How difficult is it to log back on if you get logged off, when you consider the potential damage to your personal reputation, the potential for losing access or having your access restricted?” says Henderson. “This system is designed to protect the students and, beyond that, the college. It’s really about protecting our community.”
Despite the concern from these departments, students seem unfazed by the bright green cards that declare a “security alert.”
Olivia Kaehn, first-year university transfer student, says she first noticed the card when it was sitting at a computer that had been left logged on.
“I always turn my computer off when I’m done using it,” says Kaehn, but she admits that she often stays logged in at the library to secure her workspace.
“When I’m working in the library and my computer is on,” she says, “I know someone knows that I’m there.”
Both McLeod and Henderson hope to find a solution that meets the needs of students and keeps everyone safe.
“The college has to balance academic freedom with the need to protect our resource, which is our access to the internet,” says Henderson. “Without that, we’re knackered.”