Tech Corner

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month for colleges and universities across the U.S. Faculty, staff and students are reminded of the policies regarding the appropriate use of Rice computing resources. This area is reviewed in the Information Technology (IT) Security Web site and blog, <www.rice.edu/it/resources/security> and <http://blogs.rice.edu/security>, respectively.

The Appropriate Use of Computer Resources Policy was implemented by the university in 1999 in response to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. Like all university policies, violating the policy is cause for disciplinary action.

For example, anyone who uses Rice resources — including a network connection — to make, distribute or otherwise illegally obtain copyrighted materials can be subject to disciplinary action, including termination for faculty and staff or sanctions under the code of conduct for students. In addition, the owner of the materials can sue personally for copyright infringement damages.

For the past few years, Rice has received numerous notices of copyright infringement, typically “cease and desist” notices. But 2005 marks the first year Rice received subpoenas for computer records and the first year that copyright owners filed lawsuits against individuals at Rice.

Every computer connected to the Rice network has a unique Internet address, known as an “IP address,” and what many Rice employees and students fail to realize is that the copyright holders will reference the IP address of the computer used to illegally collect or distribute the copyrighted material, along with a time and date stamp when the illegal activity took place. Using this information, it is possible to identify the person responsible for the illegal activity.

In order for Rice to act as an Internet Service Provider (ISP), the university is required to investigate allegations of copyright infringement on its network when notified of the violations. Also, when served with a valid subpoena, the university is legally obligated to provide personal information identifying the owners of the illegally copied files. This means the IT Security Office must turn over the identity of the person using that computer to the Rice General Counsel’s Office, who in turn must give the identity to the owner of the copyrighted material for use in their lawsuit against the accused infringer.

Rice computer users should remember that copying protected material is a crime. Federal laws protect copyrighted materials, and anyone who makes a copy of the protected material is breaking the law. Individuals may not agree with the penalty, but as long as the law stands, it can be enforced.

Marc Scarborough, information security officer in IT, said this warning is not just for students. “I have also had discussions with both faculty and staff,” he said. “We have a legal obligation: If we see [illegal file sharing], we have to stop it. When it is repeated, we have to remove that person’s account. Unfortunately, depending on what was copied, and from whom, that might not be the end of it. The individual might end up in court someday and face serious penalties.”

To review the policy, visit <www.rice.edu/it/vpit/aup.html>.

For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Month, visit <www.rice.edu/it/resources/security/index.shtml>.