Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!gatech!ncsuvx!ece-csc!ncrcae!secola!broadway!furlani
From: furlani@broadway.UUCP (John L. Furlani)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Watchdog
Message-ID: <196@broadway.UUCP>
Date: 13 Jan 89 02:05:51 GMT
References: <5403@watdcsu.waterloo.edu>
Organization: University of South Carolina, College of Engineering
Lines: 28

In article <5403@watdcsu.waterloo.edu>, broehl@watdcsu.waterloo.edu (Bernie Roehl) writes:
> 
> Personally, I have my doubts.  Watchdog is a software product, so it seems to
> me a student could simply boot from a floppy and access the hard disk freely.
> 

I installed an used Watchdog for a while and as far as security goes, it
lives up to its claims.  

There may be the problem of too much security for your needs though.  Maybe not
with students.  You can configure Watchdog so that your computer can be booted
from only the hard disk drive (a combination of hardware switches and software).
If needed, all your files can be encrypted (it takes a while) so that nobody
could read them even if they got on.  Directories and files are completely 
sealed from users that don't have privleges.  The other bonus is that you can
keep a complete record of who has been on, where they went, and what they used
and tried to use.

For an experienced user, it is nearly impossible to deal with because, the
program is in *complete* control.  Every directory change is done from
the program, every program is executed from the program as well.  For
a classroom full of computers run by students, though, it may be ideal.

____________
"What goes up must come down.  Ask any system administrator."
John L. Furlani 
The University of South Carolina, Columbia SC
(...!uunet!ncrlnk!ncrcae!broadway!furlani)