Topics

1) General News: SSH becomes mandatory on June 12
2) General News: Q&A session with Computer Support THU, June 8
3) General News: More options for secure email available
4) General News: Free SSH clients
5) Security News: Spreading viruses without opening email attachments
6) General News: Keystone job tracking system
7) Lab News: PCs in 2105 NW running Windows2000
8) Lab Reminder: Logoff the PCs
9) General News: ISIS/Base available on PCs again
10) Networking Reminder: Don't rip out coax cables in EL and JL
11) Lab News: Wax for Tektronix Phaser 360

Newsletter Archive:

        http://www.chemistry.ohio-state.edu/compsupp/Newsletter/

Due to the many hyperlinks, COMPNEWS is best viewed on the web
at the above URL, or by going to the main Chemistry page and
clicking on Internal --> Computer Support --> The Newsletter Archive



1) General News: SSH becomes mandatory on June 12:


As you know from our most recent announcement on May 26, SSH will become the
mandatory replacement for TELNET on June 12. Here is the announcement again:

		*		*		*

Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 16:59:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: Gerhard Raimann raimann@chemistry.ohio-state.edu
To: everyone@chemistry.ohio-state.edu
Subject: IMPORTANT: Enforcement of SSH -- June 12

Dear Users,

we would like to let you know that the new deadline for SSH to replace TELNET
for access to the chemistry Unix server from outside the Department has been
set to Monday, June 12. We believe that making this transition during the
break will minimize any possible impact on teaching activities.

For complete information on SSH, see

  Internal --> Computer Support --> The Great SSH Primer

If all you want to do from outside the Department is send and receive email,
you may not need SSH. You can find more information under

  Internal --> Computer Support --> Chemistry Department Related FAQs -->
           --> How can I access my email from outside the Department?

Remember that you won't need SSH if you use Homenet.

This announcement will be repeated in the next issue of COMPNEWS.

Computer Support

		*		*		*

As a reminder, starting on June 12, Eudora, Outlook, Netscape mail and other
common programs without encryption or SSH tunneling will be blocked at the
firewall. However, you may continue to use these programs in a secure mode:

  now        then

  telnet   - use ssh instead
  rlogin   - use ssh (slogin) instead
  rsh      - use ssh instead
  rcp      - use ssh (scp) instead

  Eudora   - Eudora tunneled through SSH, or use web-based email interface
             TWIG

  Outlook  - switch on SSL for POP or IMAP

  Netscape - switch on SSL for IMAP in the preferences
  Mail

  X        - X protocol tunnelled through SSH


2) General News: Q&A session with Computer Support THU, June 8:


We realize that this announcement comes on short notice, but we would like to
offer you another possibility to ask questions about the transition to SSH on
June 12.

This will be an informal Q&A session with the possibility for practical
demonstrations.

When:   Thursday, June 8,  3-5 p.m.
Where:  2136 NW


3) General News: More options for secure email available:


We have made available the secure web-based email interface TWIG. TWIG uses
SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption, something that is supported by all
commonly used web browsers, including recent versions of Netscape and
Internet Explorer. TWIG allows you to login through a web page and presents
you with a graphical user interface (GUI) that is very intuitive. Unlike
Eudora, it leaves all your mail on the chemistry Unix server, sorted into as
many folders as you like (you can use the same folders that PINE or ELM use).
TWIG is available from our Support Page at

  Internal --> Computer Support"

We now support secure IMAP (IMAP/SSL) and secure POP (POP/SSL). Many common
email programs can use these protocols, e.g. Netscape Messenger and MS
Outlook. In the configuration sections of these programs, you have to check a
box to enable SSL to your POP or IMAP server.

If you like to access your email through any of these options, and if you
don't require interactive access to the chemistry Unix server, you won't have
to worry about SSH. If you want to use Eudora, you will need SSH, since
Eudora still doesn't support secure email.

For more information on how to access email securely, see

  Internal --> Computer Support --> Chemistry Department Related FAQs -->
           --> How can I access my email from outside the Department?


4) General News: Free SSH clients:


A list of free SSH clients is available in the SSH Primer.

On the PCs in the Lab 2105 NW, we have installed SSH Secure Shell, V2.1. You
can download this free client for Windows computers from the UTS Software to
Go site.

Unfortunately, there is still no free legal SSH client for Macs. We are still
waiting for Mindterm V2.0, a Java-based SSH client that will run on any
platform with Java support. Mindterm V1 is illegal in the US (and only in the
US) due to patent restrictions. Luckily, this patent will expire in
September, so Mac users will be happy by September, or when Mindterm V2.0
comes out, whichever happens first.


5) Security News: Spreading viruses without opening email attachments:


The following is a warning from the SANS (System Administration, Networking,
and Security) Institute.

For the first time, it is now possible to spread viruses sent in an email
attachment without actually opening the attachment. We strongly recommend
that you read our Security Recommendations and other documents on our
Security and Virus web page at

  Internal --> Computer Support --> Security and Virus Information

You should follow those recommendations on all Windows computers under your
control, typically Windows95/98 computers in your office, lab or at home.


SANS NEWSBITES
The SANS Weekly Security News Overview
Volume 2, Number 19
10 May 2000

Email viruses are now spreading WITHOUT THE USER OPENING ANY ATTACHMENT

Personal computers running Internet Explorer (IE) version 5.0 and/or
Microsoft Office 2000 are vulnerable to virus attacks using most email
systems, even if the email recipient opens no attachments. You don't even
have to use IE; just have it installed with the default security settings. If
you have not closed the hole, you can receive viruses (and spread them) by
viewing or previewing malicious email without opening any attachment, or by
visiting a malicious web site. The problem is caused by a programming bug in
an Internet Explorer ActiveX control called scriptlet.typelib. This is by far
the fastest growing virus distribution problem and ripe for a hugely
destructive event - at least as large as the ILOVEYOU virus. Updating your
virus detection software, while important, is not an effective solution for
this problem. You must also close the hole. The hole can be closed in five
minutes or less using tools available at Microsoft's security site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/ms99-032.asp

The correction script may be run directly from:

  http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/iebuild/scriptlet/en/scriptlet.htm


6) General News: Keystone job tracking system:


In an effort to better communicate with our users we have established a job
tracking system. The name of this system is 'Keystone', and it is a
commercial software package from Stonekeep Consulting. This product is
completely web-based. Users in chemistry may browse all 'public' information
that any of the support staff have entered. Users can also get detailed
information about a task of interest to them. Tasks/Jobs/Projects are called
'Slips' within the Keystone system. Support entered the first slip into
Keystone on April 10, 2000, and the task of writing this article for CompNews
was entered as slip #443. Projects or entries that contain sensitive
information can not be viewed by the public.

Some of you may already have noticed a change in the form of email messages.
As an example, an email generated by Keystone may look like this:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Subject: SUPPORT: Re: [Support Work Order #443] Write an entry for CompNews30
concerning Keystone.
From: support@chemistry.ohio-state.edu


Slip number -----: 443
Contact ---------: raimann
Problem ---------: Write an entry for CompNews30 concerning Keystone.
Opened by -------: parker on 06/07/2000 11:51
Assigned To -----: parker

Summary:
I just finished this. There is no numbering yet, but this is the planned
order.

Notes:

 - Steve will supply a short note on Keystone

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Please note the Subject line which references 'Support Work Order #443'.
This is the unique number which Keystone has assigned to this
problem/task/project, also called a 'Slip number'. Also note the five items
added as a header to the mail, 'Slip number', Contact, 'Problem', 'Opened by'
and 'Assigned to'.

Slip number -----: A unique number assigned to this problem
Contact ---------: The person who made the request (or another interested party)
Problem ---------: A short description of the problem/task/project
Opened by -------: The support staff member who entered the Keystone slip
                   and the time and date it was entered
Assigned To -----: The support staff member to whom the project was assigned

Keystone then supplies a Summary of the slip. This is a description more
detailed than the 'Problem' field. The 'Summary' is most often the original
email sent to support@chemistry.ohio-state.edu. Finally, Keystone adds a
'History' section to the mail which details the activity which caused the
mail to be generated. This may be an update, request for more information,
closing the slip, etc.

The Keystone system may be browsed by users via

Internal ->
  Computing ->
    Keystone Helpdesk System (local access only)  (NEW)

You can "browse all public slips", or look up a specific slip.

We would still like users to send requests to
support@chemistry.ohio-state.edu at this time. We would like feedback from
our users about Keystone and how to make it as useful as possible as a tool
for communicating our work-load status.

-Steve.


7) Lab News: PCs in 2105 NW running Windows2000:


The PCs in the Lab 2105 NW have been upgraded to Windows2000 recently. Most
applications should work as they did before, and except for a slightly
different look not much has changed from a user perspective.

As always, please let us know if there are any problems.


8) Lab Reminder: Logoff the PCs:


Based on popular demand, we remind you again to LOGOUT from your NT account
on the PCs in the Lab.

To logout from your WindowsNT account, hit CTRL-ALT-DEL and select "Logoff".
Do NOT LOCK the PCs. Do NOT SHUTDOWN the PCs.

  DO NOT POWER DOWN THE PCs!


9) General News: ISIS/Base available on PCs again:


The ISIS/Base software has been re-installed on the PCs in the Lab 2105 NW.
ISIS/Base is also available on the Macs in the Lab.

Note: Due to changes in the public lab firewall, you need to authenticate
("enable access") with your osu.edu account before you can access ISIS.

ISIS (Integrated Scientific Information System) is a set of programs to
access chemical structure information, stored in a database on a Unix
computer, from Mac and PC clients.


10) Networking Reminder: Don't rip out coax cables in EL and JL:


Time and again we get complaints that portions of the network in Evans Lab
and/or Johnston Lab go down. This is almost always caused by users
interrupting coax loops or simply unplugging entire strands of coax from the
wall outlets.

All our other buildings have 10/100BaseT ("twisted pair") cabling with
individual jacks in offices and labs for each piece of computer equipment to
be networked. If you unplug such a twisted pair cable, you only interrupt
networking for your own equipment. If you open up a coax segment, however,
you interrupt networking for everybody on that segment, typically several
dozen users. You may remove a T-connector from an Ethernet card, but you must
not open up the two coax cables going to the T-connector.

Evans and Johnston Labs will be converted to 10/100BaseT cabling over the
next few years as funding becomes available.


11) Lab News: Wax for Tektronix Phaser 360:


For those of you who don't know, we keep a supply of wax bars in the Lab 2105
NW where the paper is. If the color printer runs out of wax over the weekend,
you can simply restock the printer with the appropriate color.