Educause Security Discussion mailing list archives

Re: Web page automatic time out


From: Cal Frye <cjf () CALFRYE COM>
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 09:16:42 -0400

Patrick P Murphy wrote:
On Thu, 29 May 2008 18:49:10 -0400, Morrow Long <morrow.long () YALE EDU> said:

On May 29, 2008, at 4:38 PM, Kubb, Rick wrote:

We’re looking for a way to have specific web pages automatically
timeout after so many minutes of inactivity.  For example, if an
individual is viewing a web page with confidential information on it
in a public place, say a walk-up computer at a conference, then walks
away without closing the browser, what methods are available to have
pages automatically close???  Any thoughts on this would be greatly
appreciated.

Here is one way -- note that it can be overcome if someone is really
determined...

Exactly.  And when you're dealing with confidential information, it is
likely impossible to guarantee a technological solution that will make a
page "automatically close".

You might also want to think "outside the box", for example does your
University have a policy that enforces/mandates a locking screen saver
after so many minutes of inactivity.

This is a problem for public kiosks. The next user to step up sees the
locked prompt and doesn't know how to unlock and use the kiosk...
Interesting problem. I wonder if a script to shut down the browser (and
re-launch the application) after inactivity might be called for. Nothing
 less would serve to clear the cache, etc. without lots more work.

--
Regards,
-- Cal Frye, Network Administrator, Oberlin College

   www.calfrye.com,  www.pitalabs.com


"Evil is always the assertion of some self-interest without regard to
the whole, whether the whole be conceived as the immediate community or
the total community of humanity." -- Reinhold Niebuhr.

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