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From: jon@turing.acs.virginia.edu (Jon Gefaell)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin
Subject: Re: IRC and Security
Message-ID: <1991Mar19.173303.20613@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Date: 19 Mar 91 17:33:03 GMT
References: <7748@uceng.UC.EDU> <24519@hydra.gatech.EDU>
Sender: usenet@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU
Organization: University of Virginia
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In article <24519@hydra.gatech.EDU> scott@prism.gatech.EDU (Scott Holt) writes:
>There are a number of pluses and minuses concerning IRC - however,
>the so-called security problems it causes are problems it has in
>common with any communications medium. I don't think you will find
>any medium which has not been used for some criminal purpose at some
>time in its existance. 
>
>The problems I have with IRC have nothing to do with security, but
>the resources it takes. It has been mentioned that IRC is not a 
>heavy load on resources - to that my reply is b------t. It may be 
>a minor drain on network facilities, but it is a serious drain on other
>resources. 

This sounds like a site specific concern. I urge to to deal with the matter
within your domain in any manner you wish. I also urge you not to make your
problems ours.

>others are waiting - what are we supposed to do, walk around an look
>over everyones'shoulders?

Get more seats, or design, implement, and enforce local policies to eliminate
IRC in your domain. 

>I think the only way to keep IRC and similar facilities from becoming
>more trouble than they are worth is for the folks to manage the relays
>to take more responsibility. For example, if some site administrators
>do not want people using IRC, then they should be able to have the
>relay operators configure the relay to deny access to their sites.

You might consider taking action to restrict use of port 6667, or  
other means.

--
____
\  /       		 Jon Gefaell (jon@Turing.acs.Virginia.EDU)           
 \/ The pleasure of satisfying a savage instinct, undomesticated by the ego,    is uncomparably much more intense than one of satisfying a tamed instinct.      The reason is becoming the enemy that prevents us from a lot of possibilities   of pleasure. 		
		S. Freud