This document provides an overview for librarians to minimize exposure of library computer resources to harmful or malcious activities. This includes external threats such as hackers attacking a network or internal ones such as patrons changing system settings. Each of the above scenerios has it's own risk conditions. Circulation Systems are usually password protected and the patrons can not alter these systems. Staff machines generally pose little security risk as staffers are normally unwilling to pollute their own environment.
Networked machines used by patrons with dedicated Net access pose the highest risk.
These risks come from different directions. The remainder of this document will outline these risks. These are the same as for standalone machines and again, installation of system policies as well as disabling floppy access is sufficient. Stopping Hackers Use of a firewall is the most effective means of keeping hackers out of your system. The only connections that will be allowed to your LAN are those that are initiated by the LAN itself.