Culture of Cybersecurity

Are we under cyberattack? Based upon the data that a full 70% of mail that reaches my district's mail server is spam - I'd have to say yes.

Furthermore, reading this Newsweek report on cybersecurity issues and the recent media attention to the Conficker worm I started to think about something Estonian officials are doing - working to create a culture of cybersecurity. What are Americans doing about this? What are public schools doing to teach students how to properly protect digital equipment? Is it even our responsibility? In an age where, in my opinion, schools should be focusing on skills to create digitally literate citizens then yes, I believe that schools should be teaching students how to protect themselves and their equipment online. But how? How do we create an environment where students feel confident enough to use the Internet but still be wary of potential pitfalls and how to deal with emails like this one:

-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Monday, April 27, 2009 3:39 PM
Subject: Mailbox Storage Limit Exceeded

Your mailbox has exceeded one or more size limits set by your
administrator. You may not be able to send or receive new mail until
your mailbox size is increased by your system administrator. To make
more space available, contact your system administrator through e-mail
with your Username:{ } and Password:{ } to increase your storage limit.

System Administrator
E-mail: systems@administrativos.com

You will continue to receive this warning message periodically if your
inbox size continues to exceed its size limit.

This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to
which it is addressed and contains information that is privileged and
confidential.

This message was received today by a user on my district's network. This is a pretty tricky situation for someone that is a low-end technology user. The email uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It looks official - and it mimics a real message auto-generated by MS Exchange servers (and perhaps Novell Groupwise?). How do you explain to someone that they just emailed the "keys to the kingdom" to a hacker in [insert random city/country here]?

In reflection, what am I doing to create a Culture of Cybersecurity?

Wubi Intaller - Ubuntu

A few weeks ago I decided to try out Ubuntu - again. This time I decided to try the Wubi installer . I downloaded the executable and ran it in Windows XP - not too long later my computer was rebooting into Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex. It looks like its already been updated to install Jaunty Jackalope. Nevertheless, the process couldn't have been more simple - and I can still boot into Windows XP (if I should ever have the urge).


Two things I did add to my install were Avast antivirus and Guarddog firewall. Both were relatively easy to set-up and seem to be pretty powerful. Guarddog takes some configuration since by default everything - DNS, HTTP, HTTPS, etc. are blocked. A little experimentation will get everything going though.

Microsoft, is this a joke?

I found a Microsoft grant program in a pamphlet recently that touted an opportunity to receive free operating system licenses from Microsoft for donated PCs. One of the stipulations was that the computer must possess a Pentium III or OLDER processor. Now if that was enough of a joke, the free operating system disk and license was for Windows 2000. I literally had to laugh out loud when I read this. First, I haven't seen a Pentium III in running condition in over two years and secondly, Microsoft is going to give me, for free, and operating system they don't even support any longer.

Delving deeper into the program, Microsoft Fresh Start for Donated Computers, I quickly discovered that the program closed as of March 27, 2009….less than a month ago. It has been replaced with a new program Community Microsoft Authorized Refurbishers (MAR). This program has almost as laughable stipulations:

1. If the computer does not posses an OEM license for Windows, it can be licensed for Windows 2000.
2. If the computer possesses an OEM license, for any version of Windows, it can be licensed for Windows XP.
3. Eligible recipients, but not academic entities, can obtain Office 2003 for donated computers.

The program's web page goes on to say it "was created to increase the number of usable PCs available to nonprofits, schools, and low-income families across the globe by reducing the cost of software to refurbishers. The Community MAR program also benefits the environment by giving new life to a significant number of computers that may otherwise be destined for landfills."

Now what really gets me going is that Microsoft is so engaged with making a buck that they miss out on the opportunity to provide free, tax-deductible goods and services to schools and non-profits that would eventually continue the cycle of Windows users in the marketplace. Sure most donated computers can't run Vista - many brand new computers can't handle the memory requirements either. But why do they bother with offering Windows 2000? At least provide Windows XP - and how come Academic institutions are not eligible? Aren't we teaching the future computer users of the world? What if we were using Ubuntu? Where would that leave Microsoft in five years? What about ten?

In reality, every spring when I add up the annual costs fo running Microsoft operating systems at my school district, the thought of running Ubuntu and Edubuntu across the district crosses my mind. What stops me? A thousand issues that would arise from such a deployment - but one day Microsoft, the annual costs associated with running your operating systems will outweigh those issues - and that will be the day that Microsoft stops receiving our taxpayer money. Even worse than that - my district will be training students to use non-Windows desktop environments; students who are and will be consumers.

Hello World! Redux

After my sudden and unexpected departure from blogging in 2007, I finally am able to revive my blog, albeit under a slightly different name. I never intended to just disappear from the blogosphere and the community I was developing, but I never seemed to find the time to "pen" that parting post. My time has been consumed by my goal of earning a PhD - a dream that is soon to be a reality. My dissertation, titled The Examination of the Relationship of Digital Literacy and Student Achievement in Texas Elementary Schools has been submitted to my committee, and now I wait to go before them to defend my research


The fact that I only have one more $450+ payment to the university is almost as exciting as the doctoral cap, gown, and hood that arrived in the mail yesterday. I think that my wife is a bit jealous because my gown has University of Oklahoma crimson felt on it while the one she bought almost seven years ago is jet black. Perhaps it is a little silly, but I cannot wait until the day that one of my wife's students calls the house asking for Dr. Brown and I get to say "speaking" knowing full well that they don't mean me!


My dissertation defense is upcoming - so I won't be posting here very much before then, but I am already stocking up on things I want to talk about in the world of educational technology and its administration.