Need to protect my PC

It depends how they are scanning. Are they looking for open ports on the ports that the P2P applications use, or physically scanning the HD for the applications?

 

If you're using P2P the best option to cover yourself is to not use it

Depending on how their network is configured you might be unable to firewall yourself, for instance if internet access is only granted once logged onto the domain, but if not just turn on the XP firewall and don't do anything too naughty.

Xav

 

Im no legal-eagle, but is it legal for them to scan you HDD? Surley thats private?

Just wondering is all.

 

I'd do what xavier said and try using the xp firewall, i'd also give something like blackice ago so you can see what type of scan the uni are trying to do!

xav: oops, didn't mean to hit edit :/

 

however if you need to log onto the university NT/Novell domain you won't be able to use blackice.

Xav

 

Any "scanning" will refer to port monitoring, the reason you've been informed will purely be to discourage you from continuing to use them.

P2P networks tend to cause a large amount of network traffic, so for experienced network types they can be fairly easy to spot.

Actually scanning your hard disk is intensely illegal and would require them to actually hack into your machine to do. The only way to do this is to be a policeman and have a warrent XP Firewall or another personal offering (Outpost is my personal preference) should keep your machine safe.

 

they can scan your hard disk but you can smack them with the data protection act and EU privacy laws if they dont follow it correctly.

they first need to publish a computer use policy (or network use/AUP) and have it displayed or wildly available, and within it they must specify if they are going to monitor something, what that thing is, and when it may be monitored (the usual blank of "we shall monitor the systems whenever necessary for abuse" does not cut it any more with the information commissioner)

secondly they need to give you formal notification of when they will be monitoring you (i.e. "we shall be monitoring your bandwidth usage for the next 3 weeks") and only monitor what they specified.

thirdly, they need to treat all data as private and confidential unless it is related to work, if they go onto your hard disk and start noseying about for information they will be in breach of the data protection act (specifically section 3 reg. monitoring of employees)

my previous employer done the dirt and nabbed my hard disk from the work machine when i was off on 2 weeks annual leave and went through it with a fine-tooth comb, including many personal files of mine (CV anyone?) so i discovered all of this through reading the data protection act and talking to the Information Commissioner for it, i also took it up with the IC and "won" the case against my employer.

only time this wont work, is when the police have your disks tho

i've heard from my manager that the Data protection Act has some sort of "problem" with Northern Ireland (i think they need to re-write parts of it for NI law)

more pointless gibbering from me

 

Hi guys

I don't have much to add other than it probably would indeed be port scanning. Considering it's your uni. who are providing your network connection and the uni. who could wind up being sued (they have by far the deepest pockets) then they probably have the right to monitor your activity. So if you want to continue to use your P2P software, then I'd try out some of the methods above (not that I condone it etc. ).

Kind Regards

 

They could also have a sniffer on the network filtering out packets that look like know p2p apps.
In that case your only defence is an SSH tunnel to the outside

 

No it isn't... by joining the university domain with your own PC you'll likely sign a 'permission to connect' form, which entitles them to scan your machine remotely for virii etc via administrative shares. Delete the shares and you'd soon find your net access disappearing.