Re: Windows Updates and Cisco Clean Access

["Franklin, Elliott" <franklin () TXSTATE EDU>]

This is a response from our network lead who implemented CCA a month or
so ago:

I got tired of trying to keep up with the IP's used for windows update.
Using the host names is much better, but even then it's a moving target.
Microsoft sometimes adds new sub domains and in the latest version of
the update page it's a url under microsoft.com.

We are allowing traffic to everything ending in microsoft.com and
g.msn.com. That way the updates always work (so far) and students can
search for and download patches manually. There are cases when windows
update claims that a machine is fully patched but it is still missing
something. The helpdesk can tell what's missing from the reports and the
student can search for KBxxxx and download and install it manually.

Anders Engle
Systems Programmer I
Texas State University

-----Original Message-----
From: Flagg, Martin D. [mailto:FlaggMD () HIRAM EDU] 
Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2005 1:13 PM
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Subject: [SECURITY] Windows Updates and Cisco Clean Access

 
We are implementing Cisco Clean Access (formally Perfigo).  It has gone
really well but we keep coming up with problems with Windows Update, it
fails because CCA is blocking the IP.  When this happens, I use a
sniffer and add the new IP address that Microsoft is using and then it
works, until they change address's again.  Cisco says use the Host
setting allowing requests that end in "update.microsoft.com".  This does
not always work.

I am really at a loss because it works for 95% of the machines but I can
not afford to have 5% of the students in my office when they get back
from the summer.

Any Ideas?

Martin Flagg
Hiram College