Attempts to clarify the status of e-mail privacy under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA). Examines current law and the paucity of definitive case law. A review of cases and literature suggests there is a gap in the existing ECPA that allows for potentially abusive electronic monitoring and interception of e-mail,…

Discusses wireless local area networks (LANs) which typically consist of laptop computers that connect to fixed access points via infrared or radio signals. Topics include wide area networks; personal area networks; problems, including limitations of available bandwidth, interference, and security concerns; use in education; interoperability;…

We have developed a computer security workshop designed to instruct post-secondary instructors who want to start a course or laboratory exercise sequence in computer security. This workshop has also been used to provide computer security education to IT professionals and students. It is effective in communicating basic computer security principles…

Lane Mills, assistant superintendent for accountability and technology for Wilson County Schools, in North Carolina, describes the process of reviewing and updating technology policies in her home school district. While technology policies and procedures should be tailored to each district's needs and level of technology use, some basic policies…

Seeing an institution's name in the headlines for a security breach may be among a CIO's-- and a president's--worst nightmares. Whether the breached data involves social security numbers, credit card accounts, clinical records, or research, this is bad news. Federal agencies that provide research funding may lose confidence in data integrity,…

Asmall library's essential technical problem is that it has to chart a course through the technology shoals without a navigator on board. Small libraries in small towns often have a very low level of technical skill on staff. Furthermore, obtaining skilled technical support can frequently be pretty expensive. Even when one is available, a clever…

An effective systems librarian must understand security vulnerabilities and be proactive in preventing problems. Specifics of future attacks or security challenges cannot possibly be anticipated, but this paper suggests some simple measures that can be taken to make attacks less likely to occur: program the operating system to get automatic…

The authors conducted an evaluation of Management Information Systems (MIS) textbooks and found that computer security receives very little in-depth coverage. The textbooks provide, at best, superficial treatment of security issues. The research results suggest that MIS faculty need to provide material to supplement the textbook to provide…

In t his article, the author discusses the role of higher education research and development (R&D)--particularly R&D into the issues and problems that industry is less able to explore. In addition to high-speed computer communication, broadband networking efforts, and the use of fiber, a rich service environment is equally important and is…

Electronic examination systems, which include Internet-based system, require extremely complicated installation, configuration and maintenance of software as well as hardware. In this paper, we present the design and development of a flexible, easy-to-use and secure examination system (e-Test), in which any commonly used computer can be used as a…

Discusses the development a national information policy in the United Kingdom (UK): policies for national information infrastructures, electronic information services, privacy and data protection, copyright, public and national libraries; reviews problems inhibiting Internet use; compares the UK's and the European Commission's approaches to…

Discusses how the potential effectiveness of Palladium, Microsoft's new approach to computer security, is worrying academics, who say it could allow publishers to dam the free flow of online information. (EV)

This article reviews safety and security issues as they relate to technology, both for individuals and for the higher education institution. (Author)

Considers ethics issues involved with using online resources like the Internet in elementary and secondary education and suggests that educators initiate and model a standardized role of ethical behavior for Internet users. Topics include hackers; privacy, piracy, and security; screening electronic sites; ethics education; and an ethics model.…

Presents an overview of two projects that concern local area networks and the common point between networks as they relate to network security. Discusses security architectures based on firewall components, packet filters, application gateways, security-management components, an intranet solution, user registration by Web form, and requests for…