[zeebe]

Hello, I run a small Mac lab and teach the students at a Catholic school in Minnesota. We currently use OS 9.1 to 9.2.2 (depends on when the computer was purchased). We have a 512K DSL connection that comes into the router and then into the network. I see my problem everyday I work. Here is the problem: I have multiusers set up on the Macs so students in different grades don't get into stuff they haven't been taught yet. If I have a break, I always log out all the computers so they are at the login area and ready to go for the next class. What I see everyday is anywhere between 1-8 (I have 18 iMacs) of the computers will try to log themselves into a certain area. I had a friend set up the router to not allow any incoming access except for our web page which will soon be on our file server at school. Do I have a security problem where people are trying to login to these computers from the net?? Or is this something that is a problem with multiple users?? Any help would be appreciated!!

[Camelot]

First guess - kids in the classes are trying to access other grades' files.

Is that a security problem, or something that's totally expected given the nature of your environment?

As for whether it's coming from inside or outside of your network, and assuming you're using IP, the server logs should show IP addresses and you should be able to tell from there.

Without knowing how you're sharing the files, though, it's harder to tell. More info would probably help.

[zeebe]

Originally posted by Camelot:
<STRONG>First guess - kids in the classes are trying to access other grades' files.

Is that a security problem, or something that's totally expected given the nature of your environment?

As for whether it's coming from inside or outside of your network, and assuming you're using IP, the server logs should show IP addresses and you should be able to tell from there.

Without knowing how you're sharing the files, though, it's harder to tell. More info would probably help.</STRONG>

Hey Camelot, thanks for the reply. First guess is wrong though, as this is happening when no one else but me is in the classroom. All the computers in the lab do have File Sharing turned on so I can copy stuff to them easily. We don't have a server that runs our network, the dsl modem/router runs it. What other info do you need to help me??

[infiniti]

So what exactly do you see when these computers are "trying to log themselves in" in the following sentence?

What I see everyday is anywhere between 1-8 (I have 18 iMacs) of the computers will try to log themselves into a certain area.

To my knowledge, a remote user cannot just take control of a desktop and log on using Multiple Users unless you have VNC or some other desktop sharing software installed. Remote users COULD connect via AppleShare IP (if that's enabled) and access any files/folders you may have shared, but they shouldn't be detected unless you've got the FIle Sharing Monitor open. Thus, it would seem to me that this is something local, and may not be a problem at all. Without knowing what you see when you say that "[the computers are] trying to log themselves in", I don't think anyone can say for sure.

More information should help to provide a better diagnosis.

Best of luck,
Steve

[zeebe]

Originally posted by infiniti:
<STRONG>So what exactly do you see when these computers are "trying to log themselves in" in the following sentence?

To my knowledge, a remote user cannot just take control of a desktop and log on using Multiple Users unless you have VNC or some other desktop sharing software installed. Remote users COULD connect via AppleShare IP (if that's enabled) and access any files/folders you may have shared, but they shouldn't be detected unless you've got the FIle Sharing Monitor open. Thus, it would seem to me that this is something local, and may not be a problem at all. Without knowing what you see when you say that "[the computers are] trying to log themselves in", I don't think anyone can say for sure.

More information should help to provide a better diagnosis.

Best of luck,
Steve</STRONG>

Well, it will ask for the password that what ever user it decides to go into. So if it wanted to go into the user I have set up called middle school, it will be asking for that password. Just like it would if someone was sitting at the computer wanting to login to that user. Kinda freaks me out, like our school is haunted or something.

[Mithras]

This is in Mac OS 9? You don't have voice recognition turned on by any chance do you? If you do, it will listen for you to say a user's name, (or a random sound that it thinks sounds like middle_school_student or whatever) then select that user and pop up their password dialog.

I remember that happening for awhile when I was running Mac OS 9. Kinda weirded me out.

[jcadam]

Originally posted by infiniti:
<STRONG>So what exactly do you see when these computers are "trying to log themselves in" in the following sentence?

To my knowledge, a remote user cannot just take control of a desktop and log on using Multiple Users unless you have VNC or some other desktop sharing software installed. Remote users COULD connect via AppleShare IP (if that's enabled) and access any files/folders you may have shared, but they shouldn't be detected unless you've got the FIle Sharing Monitor open. Thus, it would seem to me that this is something local, and may not be a problem at all. Without knowing what you see when you say that "[the computers are] trying to log themselves in", I don't think anyone can say for sure.

More information should help to provide a better diagnosis.

Best of luck,
Steve</STRONG>

Actually, with BackOrifice, you can take control of a desktop...........running windows.

[zeebe]

Originally posted by Mithras:
<STRONG>This is in Mac OS 9? You don't have voice recognition turned on by any chance do you? If you do, it will listen for you to say a user's name, (or a random sound that it thinks sounds like middle_school_student or whatever) then select that user and pop up their password dialog.

I remember that happening for awhile when I was running Mac OS 9. Kinda weirded me out.</STRONG>

I am not sure on this one, but I don't think so. Will check this on Friday when I go back to work! Good idea!!!

[slider]

If the voice recognitions is the problem, it sounds like something students would try to play with, can users turn on voice recognitions for the whole system?