A new authentication process for using the Internet in MISD has been implemented starting Feb. 1 for all users. Unlike the previous system in which students were automatically logged on to the Internet throughout the day, authentication involves logging in using a MISD issued username and password on both desktop and mobile devices every 90 minutes. Faculty and staff members are required to log in once every day. This process differs from just logging onto the school computers students will be logging on to the Internet itself.
MISD Network Technician Mr. Larry Birchfield believes authentication is a minor inconvenience that holds great value to the district.
“We [the MISD Technology Team] feel this is a minor inconvenience that will quickly become a rote part of your daily routine,” Mr. Birchfield said. “We feel the positive greatly outweighs any negatives, or we would not implement this procedure.”
The process has been implemented in order to further assist the MISD Technology Team identify users on the network. Identifying users on the network allows the technology team to monitor who is using the network and also ensures that students are not circumventing the content filter and security settings.
“There are always cyber threats and the landscape is always changing. Unfortunately, they do not follow our academic calendar and there is not a static set of rules that all the bad guys have to follow,” Mr. Birchfield said. “As the threats change and new measures of protection become available, we will evaluate and implement as possible.”
Frequent authentication will also help the district protect their infrastructure, data and IP address from use by parties outside the district. The MISD Technology Team’s major concern is if outside “bad guys” use the district’s IP address to hack into government, industrial or financial entities.
“Authenticating helps to lock down our infrastructure to only those who we [the technology department] have approved to use it,” Mr. Birchfield said.
Middle and high school students have to authenticate more often than staff because they have been issued 1:1 devices (iPads) and are the biggest users of the network in the district.
“We’ve seen the speed of light with which students can maneuver in, out and around Instagram, Twitter, etc.,” Mr. Birchfield said. “We’re pretty confident typing in their password four times a day won’t take too much time away from their studies.”
To complete the authentication process, users will open a new web browser and navigate to any website or search. Then the user is redirected a blue login screen in which requires a MISD network username and password. Press “browse the web!” to log in. The login area will temporarily gray out then return to normal. Next, open a new tab in the browser. In the new tab, users will be able to continue browsing by entering a website or searching.
“Our Network Team is constantly researching to ensure we remain as safe and secure an environment as possible. We have taken many steps, some of them visible, but most in [the]background to ensure the stability of our network,” Mr. Birchfield said. “The landscape is constantly changing, and while we have a few fundamentals we stick with, we must continually evolve and reinvent.”
