LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Group -- Several have asked that I post a HIT on how students get around
the AT EASE screen, and solutions for avoiding these problems.
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From pmilbury@ericir.syr.edu
I had one last year. What he did was bring a Mac startup disk from home,
and rebood the computer with his startup disk, which avoids the At Ease
screen coming on.
Be alert for the reboot notes. (BTW-- you probably can guess who it is,
so set a trap! It takes a pretty sophisticated Mac user to figure this
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From tdoering@whro-pbs.org
Which Mac operating system and which version of At Ease are you using??
There is an incompatibility between 7.5 and ther earlier versions of At
Ease. It will bypass the At Ease at times. If this isn't the case, be nice
to the student--he'll be making lots of money soon as a computer consultant
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From bhamilt@tenet.edu
I don't have an answer for Floyd (can't even solve my *own* bypass
problems), but ya'll might be interested in a book that I just began
reading, _The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic
Frontier_ by Bruce Sterling (Bantam Books, 1992, $23.00). So far it's very
readable and enlightening. As a matter of fact, my resident hacker
checked it out first and wanted to *keep* it! I told him that *I* want
to read it since I must deal with these problems (so I haven't
renewed it for him.)
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From drensi@gss.efn.org
Are you using At Ease 1.0 or At Ease 2.0? Be sure to take out the control
panel alias, among other things from the Apple Menu folder in the system
folder. I leave only the puzzle and calculator. I just put everything in
a new folder called menu disabled or something like that and then no more
sneaky access to the control panels or chooser.
Hope it helps. Hard to be more specific since I don't know what version you
are using.
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From eovertwo@selway.umt.edu
We had the same problem. The kid found out a way to get our password. I
suggest a password with a numeral in it. That way (s)he can't run a
dictionary program to find out your password. Then NOBODY gets
thepassword except the administrator of the machine.
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From ruthm@nevada.edu
Perhaps he's holding down the shift and/or control key while
turning the computer on, therefore bypassing extensions. It's a way
around AtEase that we hope kids don't learn. Sometimes it happens by
accident that a student will lean on the keyboard, but it looks like your
angel has figured it out.
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From perla@meol.mass.edu
Is he carrying around a "Disk Tools" disk and erasing the at ease
preference folder?
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From jconkli@smcoe-ns.ed.co.sanmateo.ca.us
We've had the same problem -- annoying isn't it! Cannot prevent booting
with INITs off (shift key) when using AtEase. To get in, boot with a
system disk (Disk Tools) - then you can get to AtEase and reset the
password. Use one that is LONG and has a non-alpha character in the
middle -- nutsy/crummy, thisistoolong, whatever you might want!
My colleague, who was dictating the answer above, says the real answer is
to switch to FoolProof which allows you to prevent anyone from turning an
INITs off.
FoolProof is from SoftStuff, in Portland OR
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From ermlick@oberon.pps.pgh.pa.us
probably has access to AT EASE elsewhere and is getting into hard
drive--consider calling company--they recommend it so highly--ask them
ewhat to do??just a thought
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From LeighEvans@aol.com
I don't know which AT EASE you have, but I was having the same problem in my
high school. With my "old" version, it was apparently quite easy to bypass.
Now I have the At Ease for Workstations, and the problems have ended. Only
I know the password, and no one has found a way to bypass--yet.
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From jeff.nelson@lcms.jcps.k12.mo.us
You've got an interesting problem, that's for sure. If possible, I would
recommending that you upgrade to At Ease 2.0.3 for WorkGroups. There are a
lot better security features in this version. The 1.0 version should be safe
from the problems you're having.
Here's a couple of things to consider:
1. If you can hold down the Shift key when starting up and get to the finder
without entering a secret password, then you've got a hole in your security.
2. The most likely possiblity from what you've described is that a student
has figured out the Admin password. Maybe the found where it was written
down, if it is. Or, as our kids try to do, is that one watched a staff
member type it in. I would recommend changing your passwords as soon as
possible. Be sure that you have a different one for Admin than for going to
the Finder, if your version of At Ease allows. This way if they find out the
Finder password, the still can not get into Admin.
As for the computer that they've changed the password on, you might try
removing At Ease with the Install disks. When you get to the screen to
Install, hold down the Option key, and you should get a Remove option if it's
possible. Otherwise, I'd reformat the hard disk and start reloading
software.
-30-
Thanks to all you replied. Good luck against the hard drive felons!
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Floyd Pentlin, Library Media Specialist / Lee's Summit High School, Div. 2
400 Blue Parkway / Lee's Summit, MO 64063 / VOICE: 816-251-3418
FAX: 816-251-3419 / E-MAIL: fpentlin@garfield.leesummit.k12.mo.us
Steven Wright: "The Stones, I love the Stones. I watch them
whenever I can. Fred, Barney, ...."
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