Freethought & Rationalism Archive

tgamble · 03-17-2003, 12:08 PM

I was wondering if anyone knows of a computer program for use on a netowrk that forbids changes by users. ie. if they change anything, the program restores teh default configeration.

I know that sounds like mandatory profiles but I was wondering if there was a third party program that did something similar. Thanks for the help.

RufusAtticus · 03-17-2003, 12:29 PM

I think some of the computer labs on our campus uses a program that restores a default directory structure after every reboot. Any changes are thus automaticlly lost on reboot.

tgamble · 03-17-2003, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RufusAtticus
I think some of the computer labs on our campus uses a program that restores a default directory structure after every reboot. Any changes are thus automaticlly lost on reboot.

Can you give me the name of the program?

NialScorva · 03-17-2003, 12:49 PM

On what type of system? I've seen many similar setups, but they're always custom written scripts. Just find all the files you want to prevent from changing, and back them up to a safe spot, and have the script overwrite any that change. This works beautifully on unix, I'm not sure if windows is as graceful about having things swapped around underneath it's handholding dialogues.

tgamble · 03-17-2003, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NialScorva
On what type of system? I've seen many similar setups, but they're always custom written scripts. Just find all the files you want to prevent from changing, and back them up to a safe spot, and have the script overwrite any that change. This works beautifully on unix, I'm not sure if windows is as graceful about having things swapped around underneath it's handholding dialogues.

It's a win2k/win nt system.

NialScorva · 03-17-2003, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tgamble
It's a win2k/win nt system.

You should be able to change the permissions for each user individually so they only have appropriate access levels.

Scotty · 03-17-2003, 01:25 PM

I would just set protections to read-only for the files. No sense in making more work for yourself, even if it is program written by somebody else. What happens if you have to rebuild it and don't have that program?
Better to have individual accounts and access permissions set to keep them from changing the files.

If they must change them, and then restore to a default, i would just burn a CD with the original configuration and copy it over after they are done screwing with it. This is also a way to check for hackers, diff (check for differences) between a read-only filesystem and the current filesystem.

-Scott

tgamble · 03-17-2003, 01:31 PM

Thanks, but I think I should clarify what i'm looking for. It's for a school project on security and the school we're doing it on has the type of program described above or at least the features (it could just be profiles or something). Problem is, we don't know the name of the program so I'm looking for some programs that it could be.

We tried to find out but everyone is fanatical about security these days. Even a local high school in Newfoundland Canada! Go figure!

Scotty · 03-17-2003, 01:58 PM

Sorry, don't know software resources for Win2k, but www.grc.com has good info, maybe you can email the guy there.

-Scott

Loren Pechtel · 03-17-2003, 02:01 PM

Well, one solution: Ghost the drive back from a saved copy somewhere. The restored image has been tampered with in some fashion so it can't see the drive from which the restore happens.

03-17-2003, 12:08 PM	#1
tgamble Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: St. John's, Nfld. Canada Posts: 1,652	Type of computer program I'm looking for I was wondering if anyone knows of a computer program for use on a netowrk that forbids changes by users. ie. if they change anything, the program restores teh default configeration. I know that sounds like mandatory profiles but I was wondering if there was a third party program that did something similar. Thanks for the help.

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03-17-2003, 12:29 PM	#2
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	I think some of the computer labs on our campus uses a program that restores a default directory structure after every reboot. Any changes are thus automaticlly lost on reboot.

03-17-2003, 12:49 PM	#4
NialScorva Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Median strip of DC beltway Posts: 1,888	On what type of system? I've seen many similar setups, but they're always custom written scripts. Just find all the files you want to prevent from changing, and back them up to a safe spot, and have the script overwrite any that change. This works beautifully on unix, I'm not sure if windows is as graceful about having things swapped around underneath it's handholding dialogues.

03-17-2003, 01:25 PM	#7
Scotty Senior Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: OutBound Posts: 804	I would just set protections to read-only for the files. No sense in making more work for yourself, even if it is program written by somebody else. What happens if you have to rebuild it and don't have that program? Better to have individual accounts and access permissions set to keep them from changing the files. If they must change them, and then restore to a default, i would just burn a CD with the original configuration and copy it over after they are done screwing with it. This is also a way to check for hackers, diff (check for differences) between a read-only filesystem and the current filesystem. -Scott

03-17-2003, 01:31 PM	#8
tgamble Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: St. John's, Nfld. Canada Posts: 1,652	Thanks, but I think I should clarify what i'm looking for. It's for a school project on security and the school we're doing it on has the type of program described above or at least the features (it could just be profiles or something). Problem is, we don't know the name of the program so I'm looking for some programs that it could be. We tried to find out but everyone is fanatical about security these days. Even a local high school in Newfoundland Canada! Go figure!

03-17-2003, 01:58 PM	#9
Scotty Senior Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: OutBound Posts: 804	Sorry, don't know software resources for Win2k, but www.grc.com has good info, maybe you can email the guy there. -Scott

03-17-2003, 02:01 PM	#10
Loren Pechtel Obsessed Contributor Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Not Mayaned Posts: 96,752	Well, one solution: Ghost the drive back from a saved copy somewhere. The restored image has been tampered with in some fashion so it can't see the drive from which the restore happens.

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