The CITS monitors the speed of Internet connection including the use of file sharing software like imesh, kazaa, morpheus, bearshare, livewire, torrent and other similar software by workstations in the school network.
The use of such software affects the majority of users, who use only the Internet for browsing. This type of software have been programmed to make persistent and bandwidth-consuming requests that can clog the school network. As an added measure, this software have been prohibited in the school network.
Factors to consider in this policy are the following:
Network Security
The use of file-sharing software also permits the introduction of malware, such as viruses and Trojans through contaminated or tampered files into the network. It enlarges the window of opportunity which hackers and crackers can use to compromise our network’s security.
Intellectual Property Rights
It is estimated that more than 90% of the files shared through torrent and similar file sharing software are being distributed in violation of copyright laws. These files are typically in the mp3, avi and mpg formats.
