The Dartmouth network will undergo modifications to improve security over the spring and summer terms, but these changes — which are part of a series of security measures titled “Towards a Secure Dartmouth” — are not expected to interfere with daily usage.
The changes will include a new Virtual Private Network application, an update to the Dartmouth web authentication system, a Java update and a new BWA webpage that is used to log into BlitzMail through a web browser, according to the computing at Dartmouth website.
Each of these smaller components aim to create a more secure online environment for internet users on campus. Although some students are simply using the network to browse the web, others are using it for more sensitive activities, such as online banking or handling job contracts. The need for a more secure network also affects professors, who may use the network to conduct secure government research and official College business, including business relating to the College’s finances, on the Dartmouth network.
This new, more secure system aims to reduce malicious hacking, phishing and cybercrime, Alan Cattier, director of academic and campus technology services, said. Phishing is when a hacker tries to get a user to click on a link or download a file that will then release a virus, which will infiltrate the computer and could either steal information or track what the user is doing.
“‘Towards a More Secure Dartmouth’ is a series of steps that [Information Technology Services] hopes will serve to minimize the risk of these types of activities, both to individual members of the community and to the community as a whole,” Cattier said.
The improvements are scheduled to occur periodically over the next six months. As ITS makes changes, it will send periodical updates through the Vox Daily email and have information available on its website, Cattier said. Users will be notified prior to any changes, allowing them to make the appropriate adjustments to all of their wireless devices. One such change includes updating a security certificate on any device connected to the network.
The transition from the old to updated security certificate should not present a problem for those connected to the network as long as the hardware on a device is fairly new and they make the appropriate adjustments in a timely matter, he said.
“A lot of testing has been going on to minimize the possibility of disruption by security steps we’re taking, but I have to be honest, things are going to change a little,” he said.
He added that the security team working on these improvements have held a series of workshops across campus to help the community understand potential cybersecurity issues.
“A community that understands cyber risks is much more likely to be able to manage these threats than one that is not,” Cattier said.
Out of eight students interviewed, six reported that while they were glad to hear that steps are being taken to ensure that malicious hacking, phishing and cybercrime are lessened, they would like the signal strength for the campus network to be improved.
“I’ve been experiencing a lot of problems with internet connectivity this term,” Josie Mott ’18 said. “[It’s] not as bad as last term, but it’s still really inconvenient when you’re trying to do work and the internet just fails on you.”Claire Apuan ’18 also expressed her dissatisfaction with Dartmouth Secure and the complications it presents in relation to her academic work.
“The internet [connection] is very unpredictable — some days it works perfectly fine others it just doesn’t work at all,” Apuan said. “The worst part is that it doesn’t work on the days I need it most.”
Another student had similar sentiments and chooses to use a different network in order to avoid the spotty connectivity. “I recently purchased a new laptop and it was not connecting well at first, and [I] have since been using eduroam instead of Dartmouth Secure and it has been working better for me,” Tucker Oddleifson ’16 said.
The “Towards a Secure Dartmouth” plan on the computing at Dartmouth website only addresses security issues and does not make any explicit reference to signal strength.
