DigitalSonata

As far as I know its perfectly legal.

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Crazy9000

It depends on the situation. With a school, you usually have to sign & have your parents sign something that will say you will use the internet appropriatly and not bypass the filter. I would imagine most workplaces would have something like this too. If you don't say or sign something that says you won't bypass the filter, then I don't see how it would be illegal.

This would be something you would probally have signed when you were first hired, and probally won't remember signing though.

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RussianGrimmReaper

Neither my parents nor I have signed such an agreement at my public high school for as long as I have been there. Does this mean I'm allowed to setup a proxy and get around the schools "protection" legally?

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Wheezy Baby

I know that states have mandated laws requiring schools to utilize filters of various sorts and by 'going around' those filters, you are actually breaking state law to some extent.

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DigitalSonata

There aren't any laws that require schools (and libraries) to use filtering technology (at least in my state), but they get big grants from the government if they do, so almost all of them do use them, in addition to having increased security.

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Upgrade

To answer a few of your questions...
I'm an IT Director for a large school district in Texas...

There are several filtering options available.
If you want to go the free route, use SQUID
Most if not all web proxy filters use squid as their back bone. This requires that you know linux and networking.

Installing a filter is only as good as your security against users availability to anonymous proxies servers. For this reason, I use CIPA Filter by Dirbytech. Which, is using squid with a dirbytech gui.

It's main feature is not looking a database of bad websites/ips, it is great for filtering content. (Example: Boobs, cheating, how to build a bomb, etc. (ALL THE STUFF YOU DON'T WANT KIDS TO GET TO)) So, even if you use a proxy it will read the content of the page and STILL block an inappropriate site. It also provides full reports to see who has been naughty or nice.

It's only as legal as your company/school AUP - Acceptable Use Policy.
They should have you sign a form stating what is expected of you while you are on their company/school network. I suggest asking the IT department for a copy of the AUP so you can read the policy without having to say, I'm getting around your crappy filter....is this ok with you mr. network admin?

DigitalSonata is right...
There is no law in most states governing internet filtering in schools or librarys. The large grant program he is talking about is a federal program governed by the FCC called E-Rate. E-rate provides schools/librarys LaRgE aMoUnTs Of FuNdInG.

One of the requirements of the program is that your school/library is CIPA (Child Internet Protection Act) compliant. So users going around the filter is putting the school/library is grave danger of losing there large funding source.

Most schools have a HUGE punishment for students/staff caught going around the filter. I personally know staff members who have been fired from a school for putting the school in jeopardy of losing its e-rate funding.

Tatakau

Is bypassing network security at a school or workplace illegal?

Eh, no.

Can your school or company fire you / expel you / ban you for doing it?

Oh, you bet.



As a side note, while getting caught bypassing your networks security will probably only earn you a slap on the wrists, anything beyond that (second third and fourth attempts, going black-hat, or generally being anti-productive) will likely result in a ban from the network if you're at school, or getting fired if you're at work.

~ Nick

PCCstudent

My College is very security sensitive,I tell a short story. I know a guy that works at the campus I go to,he works IT. I am a student in a Server 2008 class. He has a private computer firm outside his school job. I asked if he would help me set my server up with Server 2008 ,he casually let his school boss know he was planning on helping me and they told him if he did it would be his job.

The policy is not to help any student get a server online.

I went to Utube and did the job with XP and Apache. As I learn more I will switch to Linux or Unix and Apache. My server is only up when I want to test my HTML skills and put files in it and view them from a computer right next to it,it is all a educational excercise to learn setup and DNS and and all the goings on with running a website,but the school did not like it at all. My server is only up perhaps 1 hour a day. I bought static IP's and and fully registered my domain name and my ISP permits home website hosting and does not block port 80. Everything I do is entirely on the up and up,no games. I am 54 years old and don't play around on the web.

But I do love to OC.

Idiot

I have a question...
What about circumnavigating security for school reports when sites are blocked by a poor filter (Ie blocking a site for the mention of what helenoistic (Greek) rituals involved)?
(Don't say that if they blocked I shouldn't be trying to access them, I have had Dial up until 4 months ago so doing it at home costs you a lot of sleep)

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GH0

Trying to find a way around the filter that is put in place is circumventing. Try finding another option of accessing them. A library, college, etc. Or, ask your teacher to ask the school to unblock it. If it is blocked, we are not going to support you in finding a way around it.

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