Re: Other software like Google Desktop V.3

[Brad Miller <bradmiller () MAIL UND NODAK EDU>]

Pretty much any web-based email application, such as gmail, hotmail,
Yahoo, etc. stores user information on a central server.  Also, Apples
.mac service has almost the exact features of the Google desktop with
iDisk- storing documents/email on a central server.  Anyone using an
Application Service Provider (ASP) pretty much would have the same
concern.

The concern over privacy and disclosure of sensitive information as it
relates to using 3rd party service providers or web applications is not
a new one - a campus notice making folks aware of the risk of using
these types of services is probably warranted.  To play devil's
advocate, one of the arguments against Google desktop is that user's
data would be subject to subpoena or that data stored on these servers
would be a target for hackers- while these may be a legitimate concerns,
users' data stored on a university system/server is also subject to a
subpoena and a target for hackers, therefore it may follow that to
protect user's privacy, we should recommend that none of these be used.

~Brad

Brad Miller
IT Security Officer
Information Technology Systems and Services
University of North Dakota
(701) 777-3587
http://itsecurity.und.edu

> > > theresa.semmens () NDSU EDU 2/15/2006 11:32:30 AM >>>
We  are planning to put out a campus notice concerning Google Desktop
and
request that it NOT be installed and used.  Can anyone share with me
other
names of similar software that will do the same thing?

Theresa Semmens, CISA
IT Security Officer
North Dakota State University
IACC 210C
Ph: 701-231-5870
E-mail: theresa.semmens () ndsu edu

"If you believe you cannot do something, it makes you incapable of
doing it.
But when you believe you can, you acquire the ability to do it, even if
you
did not have the ability in the beginning."       Mahatma Gandhi