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AOL software on Network PC?

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by ballyb

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Can someone give me some advice, in this situation? I have a user who is used to and wants to use the AOL 7.0 sofware on one of our network PC's. I understand you can get to aol's email service, through IE (we use 6.x), with the user name and password. However, I have been having some mixed reactions and arguments over how secure (having the actual s/w on a PC) is?
Our user is behind a Firewall, although I believe our network is relatively "open". Our Firewall guru, says not to worry aboutit (although, like myself, he would prefer not to have it); others have said there is so much crap on IE anyway (eg. popups, viruses) that nowadays, it's "no big deal". Indeed some have indicated MSN Instant messanger, etc, are more of a security risk.
We are currently moving to Active Directory, but as it stands we are mainly NT4 and Win2K Domains.
I think it is a "low" security risk, myself, given that the PC is not using a dial-up/modem, the s/w is only used for 30 mins a day, we have up to date anti virus s/w and an average Firewall. Any advice to make it extra secure, would be appreciated? Can allowences be made on the Firewall to make it beter...and any details here I would need? Can Hackers get through from AOL's interface...more so than through the regular IE and Netscape interfaces? Thanks.

3 replies

by nick3100

I would say not to worry. The only advice that I would give is to enable the automatic update on that pc. That way you would know for sure that you would have the most up to date version of that software. Make sure that the user would log off after every session. As far as your question about the hacker situation. Each interface is just as hard or easy (either way you want to look at it) as the others to hack into. As far as the firewall question.... It would all depend on the type of firewall that you are using, Yes there are some things you could do. My overall opinion is that there would be no real threat if you allowed the user to use AOL. GOOD LUCK

by ballyb

No way I want users to update the AOL s/w themselves!!! That is the biggest fear! However, I agree it is not a huge threat, which some admins go on about. If it's controlled.

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