vnc italc netsupport use - policies

[Jose]

hi all

I asked the same question in another forum but had no responce so will try here.

 

Do schools have to keep records of times when they have viewed/connected to student screens?

We use italc to monitor student machines, it works well but we can't find any logs that contain information about connections to remote student pcs.

 

The issue we have is this, a student has alleged that a staff member has taken control of her computer and edited a part of her facebook page.

 

This has caused two problems, one how does the staff member prove their not guilty?

also where does the burden of proof lie,

 

Thanks

[robmal]

Always the same...

 

Allegations are easy to make, hard to prove and even harder to disprove. The student must have some grounds (in her own mind) to make the complaint, but without logs it can never be proved. On the other hand, bet she can't prove she has never shared her Facebook log on with a friend or left a PC logged on and unattended.

 

This is where SMT earn their money and hopefully find a successful outcome for all concerned. How unpleasant

[glennda]

I have a feeling that RealVNC puts something into the even log but im not 100% sure.

[p858snake]

Does your proxy/filtering systems log what she [the student] has accessed? was the student on facebook at the alleged time?

[Jose]

yes it does, we can also pin point the machine and ip

 

Does your proxy/filtering systems log what she [the student] has accessed? was the student on facebook at the alleged time?

[apeo]

Why was the student on Facebook anyway? surely Facebook is blocked?

 

Edit: Arent there Application Events when a connection is opened?

Edited May 17, 2010 by apeo

[Jose]

Why was the student on Facebook anyway? surely Facebook is blocked?

 

we have it unblocked for media, we also allow 6th formers to use it in 6th form areas but not in shared access areas with years 7-11.

This works very well but for one or two students who don't like sticking to rules. We have had this system for over a year and its worked well.

The real issues is were the burden of proof lies.

[apeo]

Personally I would block all social networking sites as i dont see why users would need access to them.

 

Anyway did you check the Application Event logs?

[Jose]

nothing in application logs, on both master and client,

I really need some solid advice and pointers on how we stand here, its the first time in around 9 years that someone has asked for logs for remote access to student screens.

[enjay]

Obviously the student was away from their computer at the time the teacher allegedly altered their Facebook page, so how do they know it was a teacher on a remote connection and not another student from the next-door computer?

 

I would have thought (hoped?) that the burden of proof lies with the student, not the teacher. Innocent until proven guilty, and all that; plus the supreme difficulty the teacher would have in proving a negative.

[apeo]

I really need some solid advice and pointers on how we stand here,

 

LOL. Im sure there are people on here who are strong policy makers.

 

It would seem that you've got no way to prove either case, AFAIK vnc server logs the events in Application Event logs and it is possible to log more if needed. To be fair even it there was a log in there then it would show more then a connection being made so i may show that a user connected to the pc but it wouldnt show what was done. Sorry, maybe someone will have other ideas.

[Jose]

Thanks so far, does anyone else have anymore.

[2097]

out of intrest , what if one of her friends knows her password and is in the class ... and logged into facebook at that time and changed her stuff ( 9/10 gonna be the case)

Do you have web address loggin ? if so you would be able to check from that !

[jimmy_2k]

My NetSupport is tied down to pretty much only work on the teacher PC in a set ICT Room so that the teacher can only remotley access PCs in the same room the students are working in. Only I at present have the ability to access computers remotley with admin/teaching PCs presenting the user with a prompt asking for permission to view their screen before a remote access session commences. VNC, GotomyPC.com and TeamViewer are totally and utterly banned. I'm taking no chances!

[GrumbleDook]

Ok ... without delving into the technical nature of needing logs etc for audit purposes (not a bad idea but ...) as much as people see these tools as something for policing, they can be used extensively for educational support. Even if the teacher had been connected to the computer (which I would expect to happen all the time) then you have little or no evidence that the teacher has done something in particular. I would expect the teacher to share desktops, load particular programs and files ... and if a student wasn't happy then they would get a fellow student to watch the changes happening.

 

If there is concern that some staff are abusing this then the disciplinary side kicks in ... but short of recording each and every screen it is a thankless and endless task.

 

One option is to ensure that the staff machines are also viewable so that staff know that *they* might be checked on. A dodgy position ... but one that some schools might take.