Sounds like me ;);)

Which Trust's It did you chat to??

[Edited by Avi - 11/6/2003 2:16:18 PM]

It is ISDN through a router.

Not naming any names, but when I ring the helpdesk the usual answer is "I don't know" with no suggestions as to who might. They tell me that they don't know and don't know who will know, and maybe no one will know, so I end up battling through to sort problems myself. It is not their fault, I am sure they are just underfunded, or they are not paying enough to get people with the right abilities.

I am a bloody GP not a network support bod, and I am don't have a clue what I am doing with networks, but no one will take an interest in it unless you want to pay £300 per hour. [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

[Edited by john banks - 11/6/2003 4:10:49 PM]

Should netshield go on the server not virusscan? I put virusscan on the server as that was what was advised.

Trouble is David, GPs are independent contractors so if I don't give a f*** about the IT no one will. There are also data security aspects which we are liable for. I am sure I take it more seriously than most.

I can manage to find my way around the server, and configure new desktops and so on, but when you get into routers and masks I get a bit lost. I can install network cards/drivers, ping an IP address and run ipconfig but that is about it :eek:

[Edited by john banks - 11/6/2003 7:40:24 PM]

Since installing a few new PCs on our network with Windows XP we keep getting viruses like W32Nachiworm which I clean up, but the internet connection is too slow to download the dozens of megabytes of windows updates/patches to remove the oodles of vulnerabilities. We are using up to date McAfee VirusScan software, but in the box there is also Netsheild for Windows NT. In their wisdom in our area the NHS net is apparently not separated from the internet by a proper hardware firewall! So we are open. I think we need to get at least a software firewall on our server and ideally a hardware firewall? Our connection is through ISDN.

Netshield is not a Firewall.

Thanks, just got the as usual useless NHS Trust IT support who said nothing could be done! I got stroppy and then spoke to an IT security man who still said nothing could be done until we get inside BT Healthnet in about a month.

OK not the greatest fix but a start

Windows XP has its own built in firewall ;)

Are you updating the Dats in VirusScan regularly ? at least once a week NAI nornally update Wednesday/Thursday

You could also down load the MS patches and do a internal rollout of the fixes etc

Just a few suggestions :D

Why not drop an Ipcop or Smoothwall box in ?


Steve

BT HealthNet :rolleyes:

I did a course through in Edinburgh with the NHS Trust years ago and that about sums them up. There are good people and very good Engineers working at the NHS, but the Helpdesk weren't experienced enough or just couldn't be bothered when I dealt with them :(

NetShield is just the name for the NAI product that runs on NT/2000 servers. Just like VirusScan is there desktop product name.

Is your net connection and ISDN modem or are you using a router?

If it's just a dial-up connection on the server using an ISDN modem, then I'd just download and install the evaluation version of ZoneAlarm.

That should protect you for 30-days until you can get it sorted properly.

Stefan

if its only a month.. drop an xp box in enable ics and firewall and let that try and deal with it for a month..

David

If you speak to David Harley tell him Jack said hello.

The David Harley from NHSIA i presume, the security bod :D

if its through a router.. bang two network cards in a machine and ...

Forget it.. not worth it.. if your a gp then do your job and get them to fix it, if and when it goes tits up...

just keep netshield and virusscan upto date... ps netshield should have been upgraded to virusscan enterprise 7.0 or 7.1

David