PGP: removed from UB

This message came to me immidatly after I requested the sysadmin here
at UB to upgrade to PGP to version 2.1 Do I need to explain this?

---------Begin Included Message-----
Organization: University at Buffalo
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1993 00:20:53 GMT
Path: acsu.buffalo.edu!ub!pjg
From: ACSU Staff <acsu-staff@acsu.buffalo.edu>
Subject: UNIX Change Notice -- pgp removed

  Product:	pgp
  Version:      2
  Systems:      UCS public suns
   Change:      removed
  Contact:	pjg@acsu.buffalo.edu
Effective:	2-March-93

   Notes:       given the questionable legal status of the PGP software
		it has been removed from UCS supported areas.  people
		interested in authentication/privacy should use ripem.

-- 
+==== Internet: babani@cs.buffalo.edu ===+======== Amateur-Radio: N2LYC ======+
!      Bitnet: V078LNGT@ubvms.BITNET     |        UUCP: rutgers!ub!babani     !
! Alternate: an173@cleveland.freenet.edu | Plsure dpnds on the othrs prmison. !
+==  PGP key available. (If you don't know what a PGP key is... find out!)  ==+

>
>This message came to me immidatly after I requested the sysadmin here
>at UB to upgrade to PGP to version 2.1 Do I need to explain this?
>
>   Notes:       given the questionable legal status of the PGP software
>		it has been removed from UCS supported areas.  people
>		interested in authentication/privacy should use ripem.

     It sounds like someone needs to take a stand against the UCS policies
at Buffalo or else they are going to go farther and farther...  Trust me,
that is happening on this campus too.  I used to go to high school here
on the other end of campus.  It was a new HS when I started (first graduating
class) so they had a lot to learn.  I walked in, found the manager of the
LAN and other sundry computer duties, and told him, "I would like to help
you out in any way I can.  I would suggest enlisting my help, because you
don't want me on the other side."  I thought it was kinda cute with the
right balance of cockiness...  Well, he didn't enlist my help...  He gave
up coordination of the LAN after a lot of student troubles and the next
guy was a real tyrant.

     If it weren't for the work of five "lab supervisors" (i.e. student
assistants to the sysadmin) the system would have fallen last year.  I
was one of the five and we worked very hard to keep the students' interests
in mind while steering policy to an open and simple system.  Now that we
are gone, they made the policy more restrictive step by step.  A student
presumably got access to the sysadmin's account and changed all of the
Novell stuff around so that the students were sysadmin but the sysadmin
couldn't get into the network at all.  (oops)  Now they have gone to a
closed lab policy:  each person has to run his/her student ID through
a scanner, gets assigned a computer, and is watched like prey.  Any files
that have "questionable" content or are named "unsuitably" are deleted
and the student loses his/her account for a few days.

     They are suspending kids for a week just because they bypass the
program that lets the sysadmin view their screen.  Granted, this LAN
is owned and operated by the school, but they would not set a policy
even when we proposed one to them that was in their favor (at the time).
So, the policy changes from day to day and the students, being the
oppressed, get the short end of the stick.  I have taken myself out of
the situation as much as I can...  Strangely, I now work for the
university's LAN support group, but they know better than to assign me
to jobs dealing with the HS.  The students have no voice there--I realize
that minors do not have freedom of speech, but grievances should be heard
and policy should be decided in an unbiased way.  I disagree with some of
what the students are doing, but I abhor the policy (or lack thereof) of
dealing with "crimes" by the students.

     If you want to let Buffalo take a turn for the worse as far as
policy goes, then don't say anything about their decisions.  I would
NONviolently oppose whatever you think is not right.  The questions
I have for you are:  how do you get an account on their system?  If
every student is given one (like our VMS system at BSU) then they will
likely not take it away if you fight for your rights.  If you have to
request the account and they disable them as soon as you no longer
"need" them, you should be careful about which channels you use...  I
would have friends complain for you.  :)  Do it anonymously through
a remailer...

     No matter what, if you are passive, you'll lose.

Chael Hall

--
Chael Hall
nowhere@bsu-cs.bsu.edu, 00CCHALL@BSUVC.BSU.EDU
(317) 285-3648 after 5 pm EST

Chael Hall stated in the last message:
>From nowhere@bsu-cs.bsu.edu Thu Mar  4 15:03:59 1993
>Subject: ANON/ANNOUNCE: Sysadmin Policies at Universities (and high schools)
>To: babani@cs.Buffalo.EDU (Rusty Babani)

>>This message came to me immidatly after I requested the sysadmin here
>>at UB to upgrade to PGP to version 2.1 Do I need to explain this?
>>
>>   Notes:       given the questionable legal status of the PGP software
>>		it has been removed from UCS supported areas.  people
>>		interested in authentication/privacy should use ripem.

>     It sounds like someone needs to take a stand against the UCS policies
>at Buffalo or else they are going to go farther and farther...  Trust me,
>that is happening on this campus too.  I used to go to high school here

[nice story about sudents and privacy deleted]

>     If you want to let Buffalo take a turn for the worse as far as
>policy goes, then don't say anything about their decisions.  I would
...
>I have for you are:  how do you get an account on their system?  If

They haven't changed their policy since 1988.  That was when it was
created and that is the same policy I had to sign to get an account
one and a half years ago.

VAX accounts and unix accounts on the time-share hosts are pretty much
given to anyone who asks for one.  Both these systems are very slow
due to the high load in the daytime.

Unix accounts on the special CS machines are only given to those who
can prove they are in a CS related major.  (I have all three types of
accounts.)


>NONviolently oppose whatever you think is not right.  The questions

I was doing this by running the remailer... However, they caught up
with me.

>I would have friends complain for you.  :) Do it anonymously
>through a remailer... No matter what, if you are passive, you'll lose.  

They seem to stand behind their policies and have even given me
reasons as to why the policies are such.  Here is the responce I got
as to WHY I CANT RUN A REMAILER IN MY ACCOUNT...

-------Begin Quote-------
It has always been our policy that your accounts may only be used by
you. Without such a policy, illegal and untracable actions may take
place and these in turn put the University at serious legal risk. By
installing such a mailer you are giving limited use of your account
to the entire world.
--------End Quote--------

Then he went on to say something to the effect of having an account
is not a right but a privilage, etc.

I think complaining would only hurt me right now.  Even if I complain
"Anonymously" I think they would be able to figure out who was behind
the complaints.  If I mailed a message form my account to them, they
could easily trace it back to me if they wanted to... I would have to
find another account on a machine not connected directly to UB to
complain from.  Of course, I would have to go the encrypted my
messages to the anonymous remailers... all the way, and make it at
MINIMUM a double hop message.  It's possible.  But is it worth the
work especially since they seem pretty content with the policy the way
it is?

-- 
+==== Internet: babani@cs.buffalo.edu ===+======== Amateur-Radio: N2LYC ======+
!      Bitnet: V078LNGT@ubvms.BITNET     |        UUCP: rutgers!ub!babani     !
! Alternate: an173@cleveland.freenet.edu | Plsure dpnds on the othrs prmison. !
+==  PGP key available. (If you don't know what a PGP key is... find out!)  ==+