Student Shortcuts

[Silverman]

Hey,

Anybody have any ideas of how to stop users creating shortcuts in their homespace/shared network space as recently a number of our students have decided to create shortcuts with targets such as %winddir%\system32\logoff.exe which we are finding rather annoying at best.
We have policy restrictions on almost every time of file extension but I do no know of any ways to restrict shortcuts being created in their homespace.

Cheers.

[blackcat]

Is it something to do with .lnk file extensions ? We had the same problem, but our techs fixed it by preventing their creation.

[Silverman]

Ah thanks alot, didnt know that shortcuts had the .lnk extension :P .
Problem is now sorted so thanks alot .

[sahmeepee]

For info, you can also disable this with software restriction policies as .lnk files are classed as executables. They'll be able to make the shortcuts, but not run them.

This would also stop them from bringing shortcuts in on CDs/pen drives etc and running them from there.

[enjay]

Careful with blanket deletions of .lnk files as some of them might be legitimate shortcuts to web sites; some of our teachers put such links in shared areas so classes can easily get to the site.

Be aware that once you've blocked them doing this in their home areas, they will put the shortcuts on pen drives and start over; you'd be better off getting your permissions sorted so that they can't run the executables themselves, rather than chasing their means of accessing them.

[Silverman]

The students already cannot run executables but by creating a shortcut with its target as the windows logoff or shutdown etc... service they are tricking other students by naming these shortcuts as 'cool pics' or 'dont click me' and placing these shortcuts in our shared student network space.
But by blocking the use of shortcuts in here they will no longer be able to create these annoying shortcuts.

[enjay]

But by blocking the use of shortcuts in here they will no longer be able to create these annoying shortcuts.

Thing is, they won't be able to create proper ones either, but that loss might be worth the gain of not having the problems you describe.