Barracuda Web Filter blocks a hazardous site at on a student Macbook at George Mason. Students have found themselves being hindered by the web filters, who are supposed to protect students, but is instead blocking students from accessing important sites. (Photo by Jack West)

At the start of the 2015-2016 FCCPS school year, Instructional Technology Coordinator, Mr. Steven Knight and the IT Department introduced many new and improved security features, such as Barracuda Web Filter, McAfee, and Casper. These features have been placed to ensure that student Macbooks remain virus free and that student information is protected.

The most infamous of these security software is Barracuda Web Filter. According to Knight and the IT Department, Barracuda Web Filter is in place not to restrict the students from distracting sites but more so to protect student computers and information from harmful viruses.

“It doesn’t just filter the internet, it prevents the faculty from getting spammed… Barracuda helps the teachers get less junk mail, which helps us get less viruses on our PCs and Macs,” said Knight.

A large number of students have had their computers reimaged last year and this year due to these viruses.

According to the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), all schools that receive discounts on Internet access must provide web filters to protect students from viewing harmful material. Most schools following these guidlines block almost every non educational website (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, etc… ). In FCCPS, however, the regulations placed on computers are not as strict, given how administrators realize how much students depend on technology throughout the school day.

“We are trying to make sure that if anything happens, we can communicate it with the students… when Barracuda is down it can’t detect what sites are dangerous, so it detects everything as dangerous,” said Knight on the recent spontaneous shutdowns occurring within the Macbooks.

The Schoology app on student mobile devices gives students the ability to see any posts that Knight has on Schoology, even when a shutdown occurs.

McAfee and Casper are two other new security software used on all Mason Macbooks this year. McAfee protects the Macbooks from spyware and viruses. Most of the viruses that infected student computers last year were caused by clicking on false advertisements, unlike the common misperception of pirating movies and television shows.

Casper is Mason’s mobile management device, allowing the school computers to communicate when on the school’s wifi network. It serves as a link between the computers and the school servers. If computers begin to exhibit abnormal behaviors, then Knight and the IT department can investigate whether there is an actual malware threat to a student’s computer.

Students who dislike the security systems on their Macbooks attempt to avoid these cyber fences in order to access blocked sites. One of the most popular ways to avoid the cyber fences is a Chrome Extension called Browsec. Browsec aids students in evading Barracuda by putting the student on a server in a different country where the cyber security rules are less strict, such as the Netherlands and Germany.

If Browsec connects a student to one of these proxy servers, the student will be able to surf the web on blocked sites. However, there is a risk of having personal information like credit card numbers stolen as the cyber security rules differ in other countries. Only recently has the school eradicated Browsec from the school Macbooks. It is now impossible to download and use Browsec on school computers.

Knight and the IT department are extremely willing to work with students on which sites are blocked and which sites aren’t.

“I do that all day long, if it’s anything that I think is suspect, like a game engine, I’ll tell the student that they need permission from their family. For the most part I know the programs that you need to have… if it’s something for class then we should be putting it on self service,” said Knight.

The ultimate goal in strengthening security measures on the Macbooks is to expand the abilities of Macbooks in aiding student learning, not restrict it.