Stopping flash games.

[mrforgetful]

For those people who wish to ban software (exe's etc) from running and use Active Directory look into Software Restriction Policy. Very easy to set up.

 

But no use against flash games.

[RobJohnson]

Unfortunately not.... we do it the crude way here, block game sites via websense and delete *.swf files as we find them or by a weekly purge.

[bishopsgarthstockton]

kids here email the flash game files from home.

[complete_phreak]

It's not too hard to block all executables from shares, home areas and USB drives using Software Restriction Policies and USBDLM inglebob - I rpesume you're talking about attacking SRPs the other way around?

 

OooooO Nice! Like the look of USBDLM. How well does it work?

[blackcat]

If I catch any student playing games, either in person or remotely, I take away their internet access for a couple of weeks. If they need it for lesson, the teacher has to ask for it to be reinstated for the lesson. The student soon gets the message. We make them sign up to the rules before they join and regularly refresh their memories. I also take sadistic pleasure with repeat offenders who continue to play games in lessons, whilst supposedly working by rebooting their pcs remotely. A Word file called doc 1 with a page's worth of work is red rag to a bull.

 

Stop MP3s and exes running by using Space Guard or similar software

[mattcharlton]

My new plan is to use group policy to only allow pre-defined applications (such as word, excel etc), I'm still trialling this but I can't see why it shouldn't work - although the upkeep of this will be high

 

The biggest problem I had when I tried to do this (a few years ago mind you) was that the kids soon cottoned on to the problem and figured out if they renamed their exe to winword.exe they could run anything they wanted to.

 

One of the sixth formers coded me something in VB that had a database of exe names and their filesize which stopped that but it was a pain in the backside to run and look after.

 

We're rebuilding the network here at the moment, we have a massive problem with flash games, some of the kids have even embedded them/downloaded them as excel files. sonic1.xls was the original name, basically the original sonic the hedgehog game in flash but protected by the xls filename. Produced a fairly large xls file though iirc.

 

We've bought disknet which will scan usb sticks (and anything else you can plug into the pc for that matter), users can initiate a scan (if you let them) and any filetypes you disallow have to be deleted before the stick can be accessed. Should be great fun come September

[Geoff]

The biggest problem I had when I tried to do this (a few years ago mind you) was that the kids soon cottoned on to the problem and figured out if they renamed their exe to winword.exe they could run anything they wanted to.

 

Use hash rules and a default deny policy.

[mattcharlton]

I was doing it using Netware 5 at the time

 

Group Policy wasn't nearly as advanced as it is now. Thanks for that though, I'll write that down somewhere.

[ctbjs]

USBDLM works really well. The only thing with this though is that you have to cover all options such as sub-sub-sub folder software restriction policy entries. If anyone knows any different would be happy to be corrected.

 

ie

 

*.swf

*\*.swf

*\*\*.swf etc

[Punny]

If anyone's using S2003 R2 the 'File Server Resource Manager' is quite useful for denying creation of files with certain extensions on the server. That stops the network clogging up. Only leaves the problem of external devices then.

[Inglebob]

The biggest problem I had when I tried to do this (a few years ago mind you) was that the kids soon cottoned on to the problem and figured out if they renamed their exe to winword.exe they could run anything they wanted to.

 

I can see this being a problem here soon, I'm hoping to keep this under control using a couple of methods, local c: access restrictions, deleting disallowed files (exe's and the like) and I've written a simple script which opens all student files and reads the contents, if the file if pretending to be something it shouldn't be or if it contains banned meta-data (ie games save from the internet) it deletes the files. The application whitelist and the file content reader only went live yesterday so there's no evidence whether (or not) its worked yet.

[mrphil]

If you wish to deal with games get SLT on board.

 

try this worked okay for us

 

Dear Parent/Carer,

*********************is a high achieving school and is well known for its many contributions to the local community. We are also very concerned about continued efforts to raise achievement and ensuring that there is a positive image of the school and its high standards.

 

Staff have found themselves wasting valuable learning time confronting students about their general misuse of the schools computer systems. We have therefore agreed that after the summer holidays we will begin a new system of responding to disciplinary issues.

 

Staff will record disciplinary information electronically and depending on the nature of the disciplinary situation will have between 1 – 12 points awarded. If a student repeatedly breaks the school rules more points will be added. A sheet is attached which outlines the possible poor behavior and the sanctions that will be used.

 

The sanctions will range from:

Points Sanction

1 Removal of internet privilege for 30 days

3 30 minute detention with IT Manager

5 Removal of computer access for 14 days

7 1 hr School detention

9 Permanent removal of internet privilege

11 Permanent removal of computer access

12+ 5 day fixed term exclusion

 

 

There continues to be some confusion about appropriate use of the schools computers amongst students and we know that it is difficult for parents and carers to counter their son or daughter’s arguments about what they can and cannot do on the school computers. Therefore the school internet policy is attached and the following points of clarification will help. Students have been informed that staff will take disciplinary action against them if they are misusing the schools computer systems. Disciplinary points and sanctions will follow if students are not keeping to the schools internet policy. Please note that: -

 

Internet sessions will always be supervised by a teacher.

• Filtering software and/or equivalent systems will be used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.

• The school will regularly monitor pupils’ Internet usage.

• Students and teachers will be provided with training in the area of Internet safety.

• Uploading and downloading of non-approved software will not be permitted.

• Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis.

• The use of personal floppy disks, memory sticks, CD-ROMs, or other digital storage media in school requires a teacher’s permission.

• Students will treat others with respect at all times and will not undertake any actions that may bring the school into disrepute

• Students will use approved class email accounts under supervision by or permission from a teacher.

• Students will not send or receive any material that is illegal, obscene, defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person.

• Students will not reveal their own or other people’s personal details, such as addresses or telephone numbers or pictures.

• Students will never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they only know through emails or the internet.

• Students will note that sending and receiving email attachments is subject to permission from their teacher.

• Students will only have access to chat rooms, discussion forums, messaging or other electronic communication that have been approved by the school.

• Chat rooms, discussion forums and other electronic communication forums will only be used for educational purposes and will always be supervised.

• Usernames will be used to avoid disclosure of identity.

• Face-to-face meetings with someone organised via Internet chat will be forbidden.

 

The school will provide information on the following legislation relating to use of the Internet which teachers, students and parents should familiarise themselves with:

• Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003

• Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998

• Interception Act 1993

• Video Recordings Act 1989

• The Data Protection Act 1988

Most of the time we are very proud of the students at *************- they are a real credit to their families and the community. We ask all parents and carers to support us in our approach to maintaining a school that is orderly and well disciplined so that students are seen positively in the local community and staff can focus on raising student achievement. Together we can ensure that the successes of ************* students move from good to great!

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

**************

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Misuse of Computer Systems Sanctions Structure

 

 

Infringement Points

Use of games within lesson without express permission 1

Use of internet/email for non-school related use without express permission 1

Use of chat rooms / instant messaging/non educational forums 1

Storage of materials or images not relevant to their studies 3

Downloading materials or images not relevant to their studies 3

Attempt to access unauthorized material 4

Use of schools computer systems to abuse copyright 4

Attempt to bypass school security system 6

Production of any material that is illegal, obscene, defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person. 12

 

 

 

The points are recorded electronically and the system will monitor across all subjects.

The system is fair and will provide a consistent approach from all staff.

 

It will not affect students who act in a responsible manner suitable to an electronic learning environment.

[Inglebob]

We've tried somthing similar to this in the past with no luck, however I think our main problem is getting staff on board. This might be somthing I have to re-investigate. - Oh what fun!

[Geoff]

• Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003

• Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998

• Interception Act 1993

• Video Recordings Act 1989

• The Data Protection Act 1988

 

Copyright, Designs & Patents Act?

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act?

Human Rights Act?

[ms2596]

Our school has got a system to prevent students from using flash games.

They block opening *swf files directly from a drive, and i am guilty of trying to play games by opening flash first. However, the school has also seemed to have made it impossible to open a flash flie that has not been created on a school computer. Somehow

[kili]

If a user is plugging a device into a networked computer it's visible on your network and is subject to network policies.

 

We use Sophos for our antiviral software and I get daily automated emails from sophos enterprise console telling me it has deleted an infected file from drive Q ( All our USB devices use drive Q when plugged in) if that infection is in a word document that's their problem we are protecting our network for the 900 other users.

[kili]

Our school has got a system to prevent students from using flash games.

They block opening *swf files directly from a drive, and i am guilty of trying to play games by opening flash first. However, the school has also seemed to have made it impossible to open a flash flie that has not been created on a school computer. Somehow

 

I'd be very interested to know how you do this? Can you advise please?

 

Kili