Last Friday I opened up my computer at school and was automatically connected to the ASU network via Wi-Fi at a specific IP address. When I opened the computer on Tuesday, I was unfortunate enough to be connected to the very same IP address. On Monday, someone else connected to this IP address on the ASU network, but their computer managed to escape having it's MAC address logged. This person uploaded True Blood, Season 2, Episode 12 via Bit Torrent.
HBO employs a muscle team (read: computer nerds) to track these Bit Torrent files and report those they find to be uploading or downloading said files. ASU receives threats of lawsuits and the like from HBO because the aforementioned muscle team has traced these file transactions to the ASU campus. As a result of these lawsuit threats, ASU has formed an IT "Security Team," whose main job is to investigate claims made by companies regarding copyright infringement (among other things.)
This security team has no main phone number and no main office. They also, apparently, do not have a method of communicating within their own department.
On Tuesday, a member of the Security Team received a complaint from HBO's muscle team that an episode of True Blood had been seeded to Bit Torrent from a campus IP address on Monday. The ASU Security Team member then did a quick search of computers who accessed the specific IP address on Monday. When they found no computer had reportedly accessed the IP address on Monday, they decided that the single computer which had access on both Friday and Tuesday must then also be the same computer who accessed on Monday.
This computer was mine.
As Paul Harvey would say, "And now you know..."
Thursday, April 22, 2010
My account was suspended for what now?
The e-mail I received:
On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 11:36 AM, wrote:
Reference Number: 555216
Student: Ivana Olson (ijolson)
Access Suspension :
Your computer has been identified as experiencing a problem that may be in
violation of an ASU policy and that may be causing problems for the campus
community. This email is to inform you that this situation has been referred
to Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Your computer access to the computer identified as experiencing a problem has
been shut off. You can access computer services at any computer lab on
campus or via another computer. Your computer access to the identified problem
computer will be reconnected once you attend the mandatory meeting described
below. Additionally, failure to take the required steps to address the
identified problem may result in your continued loss of computing privileges.
Due to this situation, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A **MANDATORY** MEETING with
staff from Student Rights and Responsibilities. Please select the day and time from
the options below that best fits your availability. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND
THIS MEETING WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF THIS NOTICE. Please be advised that failure to
attend this meeting may result in **LOSS OF COMPUTING PRIVILEGES** as well as
other disciplinary action which may include suspension, or expulsion from the
university. As a first step in addressing this situation, the information
below offers resources for assistance and guidance with this situation.
If you are a student at a campus other than the Tempe campus, please call the individual office at your campus.
Downtown Campus: 602.496.0670
Polytechnic Campus: 480.727.1215
West Campus: 602.543.8152
NOTE: Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities reserves the right to shut down student
access or to continue denial of student access to any computer or to a student's
computing privileges, if the identified problem warrants such action.
SOME COMMON REASONS THAT ACCESS WAS SUSPENDED:
- Infection of virus and propagation
- Compromised machine due to hacking
- Copyright infringement
DATES, TIMES, & LOCATIONS FOR STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES MEETINGS AT THE TEMPE CAMPUS:
http://students.asu.edu/srr/computerclass
WEB LINKS FOR COMPUTER ASSISTANCE:
ASU's Acceptable Use Policy:
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd125.html
ASU's Student Code of Conduct:
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/sta/sta401-01.html
ASU's Security Web Site:
http://www.asu.edu/security/
ASU's Information Technology Help Desk:
http://www.asu.edu/helpdesk/
ASU's Residence Life Help Desk:
http://www.asu.edu/reslife/needhelp.htm
YOU MUST BRING THIS SUSPENSION LETTER AND YOUR ASU SUN CARD TO THIS MEETING
The e-mail I sent in reply:
Hello,
I have been back and forth across campus all day today trying to find out what specific activity occured that flagged my account for this suspension. I have received no answers and have apparently been chasing a wild goose.
I know you most likely do not want to hear everything I did today, but I feel that if I do not tell you all the steps I have taken in this matter you may, like others I have spoken to today, not understand what it is I am trying to communicate. I will list out my specific questions at the end of this e-mail.
As for what I have done with this matter and why I am so frustrated at the way you run things...
First, as this e-mail did not give me any direct locations to visit or phone numbers to call, I went to the student services building and asked a man at a desk who sent me to the computer commons help desk. I I visited a desk at the computer commons where someone pointed me to the help desk direct line phone. I spent 40 minutes on that line with the help desk who at first didn't understand what I meant by "suspension" and thought I just had connectivity problems. Finally, we were on the same page and the person I was speaking to said that he could not help me but had filed a report or something and gave me a reference number (555494).
I used my iPhone to double check the e-mail (because my internet has been disconnected from my laptop) and found that the meeting was today in the Student Services Building. So I went back to the Student Services Building where I waited outside the conference room and used my iPhone to Google a phone number for Student Rights and Responsibilities (because the number for Tempe is not on this e-mail, which you would think I should be considering this e-mail is informing us that we can no longer contact the outside world using our computers).
I found the number and called while waiting for the meeting. Student Rights and Responsibilities told me that they are just the enforcement and that if I wanted to know specific reasons for why this was happening to me I would need to talk with the Help Desk security team. I told them that I was just on the phone with Help Desk for 40 minutes and they said flat out they could not help me. SRR seemed confused that help desk wouldn't be able to help me and told me I should call them back and ask to speak to the Security Team, other than that, they (SRR) could not help me.
It was almost time for the meeting. I went in to wait in the conference room. Norean Sablan (copied on this e-mail) came in to turn on the lights and set up the room. I tried to ask her why I was there but she said she would get to that in the meeting and that the meeting wouldn't take too long. She left and came back when it was time for the meeting to start. By that time there were two other students having similar problems, though they were less vocal about defending themselves so I'm assuming they either did not feel they were wrongly accused, or did not care.
In the meeting, Norean listed out possible reasons why we might be flagged, but did not get into specifics as to why I personally was flagged. I do not feel that any of these possibilities apply to me. I am especially careful with my Macbook computer. It is a new computer. I run thorough and regular virus protection. I do not have file sharing turned on. I do not let anyone else borrow my computer. I do not let my computer out of my sight. I do not have file sharing software installed on my computer. I do not download large files to my computer. I do not even run my system updates from the ASU Wi-Fi signal as I deem it to be too unstable and would rather wait until I get home, off campus, with a reliable and secure signal that I pay for.
Norean suggested that if I wanted to know the specific reason why I was flagged that I should contact the Help Desk security team. She listed the number for the Help Desk (480-965-6500) which I was already given. She also suggested I could go to the Technology Studio in the Computer Commons.
I left the meeting and called the help desk again. This time I asked for the Security Team. The guy who answered the phone at help desk apparently had no idea what I meant by "security team" and said that he did not have any way to contact security and didn't even know of a number or location for me to try.
I went to the Technology Studio and found a group of students who have no connection with either help desk or administration. They gave me the impression that this "security team" was just a theoretical presence that is spoken of but never actually seen. No one knew how to contact anyone who could help me.
I went back to the Student Services building and approached the unmarked desk on the second floor across from the conference room where I saw Norean go after the meeting. I figured this must be where her office is located, although I did not have a business card, office location or phone number to verify that and there was no signage around the area to tell me what offices were located behind the desk. I asked for Norean. Luckily, the man at the desk asked if I had an appointment (instead of asking who Norean was, which I feared might happen.) I told him that no, I did not have an appointment, but that I just met with her over in the conference room twenty minutes ago.
I waited another 15 minutes and Norean came out to call me back to her office. I explained the brick wall I hit with the help desk and Technology Studio, and the wild goose that I seem to have misplaced. She typed something into her computer and said that she could try to find out what was going on. She implied that she would look into why I was flagged, though by that time it was evident that she doesn't have access to that information, she just does what she is told by the people who do.
I expressed my concerns for why this situation is bothering me. I asked if this security flag would go on any of my records.
At first she said no. I explained that I work for Apple now and have signed multiple security agreements and policies with them. She told me that if it does, it's fine because the records are not a publicly available. I explained to her that I have given Apple signed permission to access my student records. She again said it shouldn't go on my record, but it was a less solid "no" than the first answer she gave me.
I am also worried about the issue because no one will tell me what specifically happened (what, when, who, where and how, are questions that could be addressed here). Without knowing the specifics of the incident, how can I be sure that it won't happen again? How can I tell you that it won't happen again when I don't know how it happened in the first place?
The meeting I was required to attend did not specify to anyone why they specifically were there. It said why they could be there and assumed that whoever was there knew why it applied to them. The two other students may very well know why they were there, or they may have several reasons why they could be there and not know for which specific incident they were caught. Either way, by attending, they have basically said they understand they were caught doing something wrong and are aware that doing it again could cause further action.
I am uncomfortable with the thought that my presence at that meeting gives the message that I acknowledge some guilt or fault, accept the slap on the wrist, and agree not to repeat the infraction.
I understand that by attending the meeting, my access to ASU Wi-Fi connection from my Macbook will be restored (within 24-48 hours, as if that's less of an inconvenience... which it is not.) While restoring my ability to actually work on my class assignments using the internet from school is indeed helpful, it is not my main priority when discussing this situation. (My main priority, in case you missed it, is finding out WHY I was flagged in the first place.)
My specific questions:
* Why was I flagged?
* Who witnessed the incident?
* What specific IP or MAC addresses were recorded as being involved in the incident? (If a file transfer occurred, what were the specific outgoing and incoming addresses?)
* When did the incident occur?
* Where did the incident occur? (If logged, what was the access point my computer was in theory connected to at the time?)
* Will this incident be indicated in any of my personal records, ASU related or otherwise?
Please answer these questions in a timely fashion. I am quite concerned.
I am also aggravated that I have had to put so much effort in to this, effectively canceling all plans I had for working on very important finals projects today. I have also, as of yet, not received any apologies for the trouble this has caused me.
If I could also get a name, phone number, e-mail address and office location for someone directly involved in this situation, I would appreciate not having to continue bouncing between offices while the responsibility is being passed back and forth across campus.
Thank you,
Ivana J. Olson
On Tue, Apr 20, 2010 at 11:36 AM,
Reference Number: 555216
Student: Ivana Olson (ijolson)
Access Suspension :
Your computer has been identified as experiencing a problem that may be in
violation of an ASU policy and that may be causing problems for the campus
community. This email is to inform you that this situation has been referred
to Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Your computer access to the computer identified as experiencing a problem has
been shut off. You can access computer services at any computer lab on
campus or via another computer. Your computer access to the identified problem
computer will be reconnected once you attend the mandatory meeting described
below. Additionally, failure to take the required steps to address the
identified problem may result in your continued loss of computing privileges.
Due to this situation, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND A **MANDATORY** MEETING with
staff from Student Rights and Responsibilities. Please select the day and time from
the options below that best fits your availability. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND
THIS MEETING WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF THIS NOTICE. Please be advised that failure to
attend this meeting may result in **LOSS OF COMPUTING PRIVILEGES** as well as
other disciplinary action which may include suspension, or expulsion from the
university. As a first step in addressing this situation, the information
below offers resources for assistance and guidance with this situation.
If you are a student at a campus other than the Tempe campus, please call the individual office at your campus.
Downtown Campus: 602.496.0670
Polytechnic Campus: 480.727.1215
West Campus: 602.543.8152
NOTE: Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities reserves the right to shut down student
access or to continue denial of student access to any computer or to a student's
computing privileges, if the identified problem warrants such action.
SOME COMMON REASONS THAT ACCESS WAS SUSPENDED:
- Infection of virus and propagation
- Compromised machine due to hacking
- Copyright infringement
DATES, TIMES, & LOCATIONS FOR STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES MEETINGS AT THE TEMPE CAMPUS:
http://students.asu.edu/srr/computercla
WEB LINKS FOR COMPUTER ASSISTANCE:
ASU's Acceptable Use Policy:
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd1
ASU's Student Code of Conduct:
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/sta/sta4
ASU's Security Web Site:
http://www.asu.edu/security/
ASU's Information Technology Help Desk:
http://www.asu.edu/helpdesk/
ASU's Residence Life Help Desk:
http://www.asu.edu/reslife/needhelp.h
YOU MUST BRING THIS SUSPENSION LETTER AND YOUR ASU SUN CARD TO THIS MEETING
The e-mail I sent in reply:
Hello,
I have been back and forth across campus all day today trying to find out what specific activity occured that flagged my account for this suspension. I have received no answers and have apparently been chasing a wild goose.
I know you most likely do not want to hear everything I did today, but I feel that if I do not tell you all the steps I have taken in this matter you may, like others I have spoken to today, not understand what it is I am trying to communicate. I will list out my specific questions at the end of this e-mail.
As for what I have done with this matter and why I am so frustrated at the way you run things...
First, as this e-mail did not give me any direct locations to visit or phone numbers to call, I went to the student services building and asked a man at a desk who sent me to the computer commons help desk. I I visited a desk at the computer commons where someone pointed me to the help desk direct line phone. I spent 40 minutes on that line with the help desk who at first didn't understand what I meant by "suspension" and thought I just had connectivity problems. Finally, we were on the same page and the person I was speaking to said that he could not help me but had filed a report or something and gave me a reference number (555494).
I used my iPhone to double check the e-mail (because my internet has been disconnected from my laptop) and found that the meeting was today in the Student Services Building. So I went back to the Student Services Building where I waited outside the conference room and used my iPhone to Google a phone number for Student Rights and Responsibilities (because the number for Tempe is not on this e-mail, which you would think I should be considering this e-mail is informing us that we can no longer contact the outside world using our computers).
I found the number and called while waiting for the meeting. Student Rights and Responsibilities told me that they are just the enforcement and that if I wanted to know specific reasons for why this was happening to me I would need to talk with the Help Desk security team. I told them that I was just on the phone with Help Desk for 40 minutes and they said flat out they could not help me. SRR seemed confused that help desk wouldn't be able to help me and told me I should call them back and ask to speak to the Security Team, other than that, they (SRR) could not help me.
It was almost time for the meeting. I went in to wait in the conference room. Norean Sablan (copied on this e-mail) came in to turn on the lights and set up the room. I tried to ask her why I was there but she said she would get to that in the meeting and that the meeting wouldn't take too long. She left and came back when it was time for the meeting to start. By that time there were two other students having similar problems, though they were less vocal about defending themselves so I'm assuming they either did not feel they were wrongly accused, or did not care.
In the meeting, Norean listed out possible reasons why we might be flagged, but did not get into specifics as to why I personally was flagged. I do not feel that any of these possibilities apply to me. I am especially careful with my Macbook computer. It is a new computer. I run thorough and regular virus protection. I do not have file sharing turned on. I do not let anyone else borrow my computer. I do not let my computer out of my sight. I do not have file sharing software installed on my computer. I do not download large files to my computer. I do not even run my system updates from the ASU Wi-Fi signal as I deem it to be too unstable and would rather wait until I get home, off campus, with a reliable and secure signal that I pay for.
Norean suggested that if I wanted to know the specific reason why I was flagged that I should contact the Help Desk security team. She listed the number for the Help Desk (480-965-6500) which I was already given. She also suggested I could go to the Technology Studio in the Computer Commons.
I left the meeting and called the help desk again. This time I asked for the Security Team. The guy who answered the phone at help desk apparently had no idea what I meant by "security team" and said that he did not have any way to contact security and didn't even know of a number or location for me to try.
I went to the Technology Studio and found a group of students who have no connection with either help desk or administration. They gave me the impression that this "security team" was just a theoretical presence that is spoken of but never actually seen. No one knew how to contact anyone who could help me.
I went back to the Student Services building and approached the unmarked desk on the second floor across from the conference room where I saw Norean go after the meeting. I figured this must be where her office is located, although I did not have a business card, office location or phone number to verify that and there was no signage around the area to tell me what offices were located behind the desk. I asked for Norean. Luckily, the man at the desk asked if I had an appointment (instead of asking who Norean was, which I feared might happen.) I told him that no, I did not have an appointment, but that I just met with her over in the conference room twenty minutes ago.
I waited another 15 minutes and Norean came out to call me back to her office. I explained the brick wall I hit with the help desk and Technology Studio, and the wild goose that I seem to have misplaced. She typed something into her computer and said that she could try to find out what was going on. She implied that she would look into why I was flagged, though by that time it was evident that she doesn't have access to that information, she just does what she is told by the people who do.
I expressed my concerns for why this situation is bothering me. I asked if this security flag would go on any of my records.
At first she said no. I explained that I work for Apple now and have signed multiple security agreements and policies with them. She told me that if it does, it's fine because the records are not a publicly available. I explained to her that I have given Apple signed permission to access my student records. She again said it shouldn't go on my record, but it was a less solid "no" than the first answer she gave me.
I am also worried about the issue because no one will tell me what specifically happened (what, when, who, where and how, are questions that could be addressed here). Without knowing the specifics of the incident, how can I be sure that it won't happen again? How can I tell you that it won't happen again when I don't know how it happened in the first place?
The meeting I was required to attend did not specify to anyone why they specifically were there. It said why they could be there and assumed that whoever was there knew why it applied to them. The two other students may very well know why they were there, or they may have several reasons why they could be there and not know for which specific incident they were caught. Either way, by attending, they have basically said they understand they were caught doing something wrong and are aware that doing it again could cause further action.
I am uncomfortable with the thought that my presence at that meeting gives the message that I acknowledge some guilt or fault, accept the slap on the wrist, and agree not to repeat the infraction.
I understand that by attending the meeting, my access to ASU Wi-Fi connection from my Macbook will be restored (within 24-48 hours, as if that's less of an inconvenience... which it is not.) While restoring my ability to actually work on my class assignments using the internet from school is indeed helpful, it is not my main priority when discussing this situation. (My main priority, in case you missed it, is finding out WHY I was flagged in the first place.)
My specific questions:
* Why was I flagged?
* Who witnessed the incident?
* What specific IP or MAC addresses were recorded as being involved in the incident? (If a file transfer occurred, what were the specific outgoing and incoming addresses?)
* When did the incident occur?
* Where did the incident occur? (If logged, what was the access point my computer was in theory connected to at the time?)
* Will this incident be indicated in any of my personal records, ASU related or otherwise?
Please answer these questions in a timely fashion. I am quite concerned.
I am also aggravated that I have had to put so much effort in to this, effectively canceling all plans I had for working on very important finals projects today. I have also, as of yet, not received any apologies for the trouble this has caused me.
If I could also get a name, phone number, e-mail address and office location for someone directly involved in this situation, I would appreciate not having to continue bouncing between offices while the responsibility is being passed back and forth across campus.
Thank you,
Ivana J. Olson
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