SafetyNetv1.0 program boosts security of Virginia Tech computing community

With hopes of advancing the security and efficiency of the Virginia Tech computing community, the Virginia Tech Microsoft Implementation Group (VTmig) has released the SafetyNetv1.0 program, allowing system administrators to scan individual and groups of computers for security weaknesses.

The SafetyNetv1.0 program was released to the public, free of charge, as an open source, web-based program, meaning system administrators, developers, and security auditors now have access to the Windows 2003 Server source code. The release of the source code enables authorized users to modify, improve upon, and/or redistribute the program coding to suit their specific needs.

An appealing feature of the SafetyNet program allows system administrators to incorporate third-party scanning tools of their choosing into a user-friendly web page format. End-users can log into the SafetyNet web page to perform a security scan of their system and review the results. In addition, Virginia Tech network liaisons may perform a security scan of their entire group of machines.

The SafetyNet programs are currently serving the university computing community on VTmig's own departmental servers, pending turnover to the VT Security Office. Anyone with a Hokies username and password can use the service at https://safetynet.w2k.vt.edu/login.php.

The Microsoft Implementation Group at Virginia Tech maintains the Virginia Tech Active Directory (AD), developing AD-enabled and AD-enhancing applications. They provide a stable, scalable, and secure Microsoft based computing environment at Virginia Tech.

For more information on VTmig or to download the new SafetyNet v1.0 software, please visit the VTmig home website at http://vtmig.w2k.vt.edu/main.htm.

Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech has grown to become the largest university in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Today, Virginia Tech's eight colleges are dedicated to putting knowledge to work through teaching, research, and outreach activities and to fulfilling its vision to be among the top 30 research universities in the nation. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg and other campus centers in Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls more than 28,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 180 academic degree programs.