Have worm? University upgrades network

North American Network Operators Group
Have worm? University upgrades network

From: Sean Donelan
Date: Thu Nov 27 17:42:02 2003
After sending out e-mails and notifying students, Dartmouth College
has started to disconnect virus-infected computers.

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=2003112001020
  The service denials come after Computing Services sent out a campus-wide
  e-mail earlier this month announcing that over 2000 student computers
  were infected with the Welchia worm virus which was causing severe lag
  on the campus network. That e-mail instructed students in the steps
  required to diagnose and, if necessary, treat their computers for the
  virus.

  "Should the network's performance continue to suffer, we will be forced
  to deny access to machines that are abusing, however unintentionally,
  the network," the Nov. 6 e-mail warned. "We do not want to turn off your
  network access but we will to protect the integrity of the network."


On the other hand, California State-Long Beach is planning to upgrade
its network to deal with the worms.


http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/archives/2003/fall/news/volLIVno49-dorm.shtml

  Stan Olin, director of housing, said they are doing the best they can to
  get the problem fixed. Housing and network staff has been working around
  the clock to resolve the problem. Seven dorm residents are included in
  this team. They aid in tracking down infected computers and are
  responsible for ensuring students have access to the network.

  More than 200 infected computers have been identified. Housing notified
  students through voicemail and other means that anti-virus software is
  available in the hall offices. Depending on the hardware the student
  has, the software takes less than 30 minutes to remove the worms.

  Elson Browne, assistant director of housing, is finding that students
  are "not taking advantage of free resources." On the contrary, a
  freshman who requested anonymity said she tried installing the software
  but found it incompatible with Microsoft Windows XP. She said she now
  considers the situation "a lost cause."

[...]

  The entire campus is in the process of switching to a new network,
  however, the dormitories were not included in the first phase of the
  process. The housing department said it was planning to upgrade sooner
  or later but due to the urgency, it is pushing for a complete upgrade
  by next semester.