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Dartmouth Studies Network Security

Hanover, New Hampshire - July 8, 2008

Students on the campus of Dartmouth College can get online just about anywhere. That is because the whole campus is connected with a wireless network.

"It means that a lot of people can go out and study in the middle of the green during the day, and I can log on during my classes, and even some places off campus, so it is really great," says sophomore Kristen Klepac.

The Ivy League school is also looking to bring its entire telephone system wireless as well. And that's causing some concern for computer professors.

"Our concern is that our network will be something that people count on to make and receive telephone calls. And if you are counting on that for telephone calls, you are very concerned if your network goes down," says David Kotz of Dartmouth College.

Kotz is heading a research project called DIST-- Dartmouth Internet Security Testbed. Little devices are being installed in buildings across the campus and are recording ALL the data of where and when people log on.

"Capture the traffic live and analyze it in real time to try to look for anomalies that might represent someone trying to disable the network," explains Kotz.

The project is completely anonymous; students and other users will not be tracked. Everyone who logs on will be given a random identification number. The data researchers gather will eventually lead to new software.

"Once we understand these patterns and trends, then there can be devices that we use operationally that can look for these patterns and trends, and shut them down," says David Bucciero, director of technical services.

Students say they are all for the project-- as long as they can continue to peruse the web wherever they want.

"I know that we all used to be on Dartmouth public as a wireless network and I know that a lot of people said that they had problems or securities worries," says Klepac.

The Department of Homeland Security is helping to pay for the project and the outcome of the research is hoped to spawn new technology that will be used not just here at Dartmouth, but on college campuses across the country.

Adam Sullivan - WCAX News