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locking down a public Library Internet Terminal

2957 Views 16 Replies 4 Participants Last post by mraaron012, Apr 29, 2004

mraaron012

Discussion Starter · Apr 7, 2004

Hello to all. This is my first post. I read about this site in a recent issue of PC Magazine. I have a question about how to lock down (if possible) an OPAC terminal in a library.

I work in a good sized public library in Massachusetts. Our card catalogues are now set up so they can be accessed via the Internet. We have numerous computer stations within the library specifically used for this purpose. Our Computer Technician, using Microsoft Management Console, has managed to disable certain features that would allow people to access other websites. It still hasn't worked. The Explorer Bar on the View menu on IE 6 can still allow patrons to search the Web. We have Internet Stations that the public can use. Mostly, we have those individuals who wish to view pornography or things of that nature.

Can anyone recommend anyways to go about dealing with this situation. I have recommended a few things to our Technician, but he doesn't see this as a major problem as the rest of the staff.

Thanks in advance.

Aaron

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Bob Cerelli

· #3 · Apr 8, 2004

It seems like it would be very difficult to keep that hosts file current. Also, this is an easy one for people to simple delete or edit.

If there are only specific sites you want to access and only those sites, there are simple 3rd party programs like Cybersitter that are very easy to set up for this. I have several customers that only want a limited number of approved web sites to be accessed and this seems to work well for them.

I'm sure there are others but this is just one I found, understood and liked.

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Bob Cerelli

· #6 · Apr 8, 2004

Another program I've used in conjuction with Cybersitter is Windows Security Officer. It is pretty good a locking down the computer to only those apps you allow. Again there are many out there. It is just one I liked. Spytech also would allow you to do this as well.

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Bob Cerelli

· #8 · Apr 9, 2004

That is why you typically need some 3rd party programs list those listed previously to really be able to lock down Windows.

Although MS has been making claims about how easy this would be since NT 5 (remember that OS), it really has never been that simple or complete without them.

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Bob Cerelli

· #11 · Apr 12, 2004

It looks like that software uses the Group Policy Editor to limit site access. What operating system do you have on the clients.

Never heard of the "Gates PAC configuration tool" so can't really make any recommendations either way. Have you searched the Internet for the name of the package and the word "review" afterwards.

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Bob Cerelli

· #13 · Apr 12, 2004

What version of XP. My understanding it that the Home version does not have a Group Policy Editor like the Pro version. You might want to double check that it works with both.

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