my school have blocked certain programs

[lockmac]

Hey
My school has made it so when you logon to their domain, a registry script is added with DisallowRun keys that prevent programs running. Here is a registry file of the programs

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun]
"1"="mstsc.exe"
"2"="StyleXPInstallFemale.exe"
"3"="StyleXPInstallMale.exe"
"4"="StyleXPUpdate.exe"
"5"="P2P Networking.exe"
"6"="kmd.exe"
"7"="kazaa.exe"
"8"="netmsg.exe"
"9"="conf.exe"
"10"="Network Messenger.exe"
"11"="elma.exe"
"12"="logonstudio.exe"
"15"="StyleXPinstall.exe"
"16"="firefly.exe"
"17"="skype.exe"
"18"="bosskey.exe"
"19"="imeshclient.exe"
"20"="iMeshV4.exe"
"21"="ObjectDock.exe"
"22"="kpp.exe"
"23"="klrun.exe"

Just wondering, would you guys agree that I have the right to go to them and complain to them? Pretty much none of those programs I use except I do use the first one, which is Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe), but I just dont think they should be allowed to do those restrictions, especially if the laptop is owned by each and everyone and that people do use their laptops at home.

I mean, its piss easy to get around, but thats not the point.. I shouldn't have to

Edit: They have now blocked regedit

 

[Juno]

But they didn't block AIM? :Q

 

[nweaver]

just disjoin the domain.....

 

[Juno]

Can you just reformat the computer you are using so you'll be free.

 

[lockmac]

Thanks for the replys. I am very aware that I could disjoin the domain, and ive created a registry script to delete the keys, so no formatting is necesarry, but the question im asking is whether or not I would be within my rights to go to the school and complain about this. I mean, blocking such programs whilst on their premises is understandable, but I do not believe it should be when you are at home

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: lockmac
Just wondering, would you guys agree that I have the right to go to them and complain to them?

No. It's their network, so it's their rules. Stop whining.

 

[Nothinman]

Is it your computer? If so disjoin the domain and don't use their resources, either way you have no choice but to abide by their rules to use their resources.

Sure you can complain and if you have valid reason to do what you want they might help you, but trying to work around their rules will pretty much guarantee that won't happen.

 

[Slugbait]

Sorry, bud. You can complain, but take solice in the fact that you have the benefit of not getting "fired" from your education for doing so. Try complaining about something like this when you get a real job, and calculate the number of seconds before your boss reads you the Riot Act.

Please note: circumventing anything your school has setup to deny these programs will be considered "hacking". Check with your principal first to find out how severe your punishment will be if you try it. Laws will vary state by state, district by district, but at the very least you will definitely get bitten in your <expletive>. And if you were to try something like this at a real job, calculate how long your unemployment insurance would last.

In short: <Morpheus>Welcome to the real world</Morpheus>

 

[lockmac]

Originally posted by: Slugbait
Sorry, bud. You can complain, but take solice in the fact that you have the benefit of not getting "fired" from your education for doing so. Try complaining about something like this when you get a real job, and calculate the number of seconds before your boss reads you the Riot Act.

Please note: circumventing anything your school has setup to deny these programs will be considered "hacking". Check with your principal first to find out how severe your punishment will be if you try it. Laws will vary state by state, district by district, but at the very least you will definitely get bitten in your <expletive>. And if you were to try something like this at a real job, calculate how long your unemployment insurance would last.

In short: <Morpheus>Welcome to the real world</Morpheus>

Ok... exactly where did I say that I am doing anything that is even close to hacking. Deleting registry keys out of my own computer is not hacking, and is perfectly normal. This whole thread is not about me getting around the blocking of the programs.

 

[Nothinman]

Try complaining about something like this when you get a real job, and calculate the number of seconds before your boss reads you the Riot Act.

Either your boss is an idiot or your'e an idiot, if you have a valid business use for something there should be no reason for them to deny it to you.

Deleting registry keys out of my own computer is not hacking, and is perfectly normal. This whole thread is not about me getting around the blocking of the programs.

If you're deleting those keys that they put in place as part of their security policy, yes you're "hacking" and circumventing their policy and shouldn't be allowed on their network.

 

[mechBgon]

Try this:

1) log onto their domain and try running Remote Desktop. Doesn't work.

2) log off their domain and log onto your laptop's local "domain." Try running Remote Desktop now that you don't have a domain policy overriding local policy. Does it work now?

 

[lockmac]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Try complaining about something like this when you get a real job, and calculate the number of seconds before your boss reads you the Riot Act.

Either your boss is an idiot or your'e an idiot, if you have a valid business use for something there should be no reason for them to deny it to you.

I don't have a valid reason to use remote desktop connection on the network, but away from the network I do, e.g. at home, so I believe that I should have every right to be able to use my computer as normal away from their network, even if that means deleting registry keys, which I still believe is perfectly acceptable

 

[halfpower]

Originally posted by: jewno
But they didn't block AIM? :Q

I imagine it's because AIM uses nearly 0 bandwidth.

 

[Slugbait]

Well, color me embarrassed. I misunderstood, I didn't realize it was a private machine.

Set up dual-config machine. When you login from home, you get what you want. When you log into the other config on their system, they get what they want.

Everybody's happy.

 

[halfpower]

I don't think there is any reason why you can't complain. You could ask them to throttle the badwidth rather than blocking the programs all together. Though this might take a lot of effort on their part. You might look around for a program equivalent to the one you want to use. It would probably run.

 

[lockmac]

The programs have nothing to with bandwidth. They are just programs that are to be run on the local computer and would not affect them. Example, the only program I need is remote desktop connection, and that would only be used at home

 

[mechBgon]

You didn't answer my question. What happens when you log onto your machine's local self-domain (choose the machine's name in the Domain: box at the log-on prompt), do the software restrictions vanish, or do they persist?

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: lockmac
Thanks for the replys. I am very aware that I could disjoin the domain, and ive created a registry script to delete the keys, so no formatting is necesarry, but the question im asking is whether or not I would be within my rights to go to the school and complain about this. I mean, blocking such programs whilst on their premises is understandable, but I do not believe it should be when you are at home

Then you should be logging into a local machine account at home and not a domain account. It's there network and they can impose whatever restrictions they want on it's use, it's up to you to agree with them or not use the network. It does seem pretty stupid if users are required to provide their own hardware (is that normal, or is the machine something that came with your registration intended to be used only for school?)

 

[Netopia]

I once had a similar problem. What I did worked for me, though I can't assure you that it will work for you... just rename the file!

mstsc.exe should run just as well if you rename it mstsc.scr <--also executable but not an exe
or my-mstsc.exe <-- different name instead but still an exe


You're lucky that they didn't just block the ports, which is what I would have done if I were them. Changing the name is easy, but changing the ports on a LOCAL machine AND all remote machines would be pretty much impossible, depending on what service you are using.

Joe

 

[CrackaLackaZe]

why would they block objectdock

 

[dragonballgtz]

Originally posted by: cleverhandle

Originally posted by: lockmac
Just wondering, would you guys agree that I have the right to go to them and complain to them?

No. It's their network, so it's their rules. Stop whining.

:thumbsup:

 

[Jzero]

Go ahead and complain. Worst they can tell you is "sod off," but it seems there should be a better way to enforce these restrictions without making changes on hosts that are not owned by the university. They won't bother changing if they don't know it bothers anyone.

Some tips for complaining:
Do not rant.
Do not talk about rights or trust or entitlement. Our rights as operators of a network trump your rights as a user.
Do have specific reasons the policy is not working well for you.
Do come prepared with some alternative solutions. Your argument is much stronger if you don't just state that there is a problem, but suggest a solution to the problem.

Good luck!

 

[n0cmonkey]

I think you have the right to complain, but not the right to circumvent. Do it intelligently and you might just be able to finaglle some extra credit.

 

[loup garou]

Some of their choices are odd. StyleXP? ObjectDock? Very strange. I'd say that's a very annoying policy, but as others have mentioned, it is their network.

 

[nweaver]

yes, it's their network, they can block the services/ports/programs they want...on their network. IMHO, they do NOT have the right to make system changes to a private machine. Lets flip the tables a bit here, how would you guys react if your ISP ran the reg script on your machine?