MSIS and the World of MPLS

1
MSIS and the World of MPLS

• Providing Data Security
• in an Insecure World

Technology Coordinators Meeting Philadelphia,
MS June 22, 2006
2
MPLS and K-12 World

• MPLS is changing the way we do business.
• MSIS will no longer be protected by the security
  of a private network
• Changes will have to be made to compensate for
  the changes in the network.
• Advice on how to handle the changes was sought
  from K-12 steering committee and in-house
  steering committee.

3
What will happen with MSIS?

• MSIS will be unavailable from June 30, 2006,
  1100 pm July 17, 2006, 900 am.
• Build ownership files for 2006-2007 school year.
• Roll data that needs to be rolled (personnel,
  etc).
• Install patches to application server to be ready
  for SSL (upgrade from v4.07 to v4.08) (separate
  server from database server.
• Changes will be active when system comes back up.

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What are the Changes?

• MSIS will now use SSL to transmit data.
• New password policy.
• All passwords will be expired when MSIS comes
  back up.
• Inactivity will log you out of MSIS.

5
MSIS and SSL

• You will still need J-Initiator.
• You will still need Netscape 4.79.
• You will need to download one file to every
  machine that is going to access MSIS.
• The file will be available on the MSIS
  Information page.
• http//www.mde.k12.ms.us/msis/resources.html
• New URL for accessing MSIS.
• https//msis.k12.ms.us81/msis/MSIS_MAIN.html
• You will be able to access MSIS from any computer
  as long as these conditions are met.

6
Password Policy

• Password must be at least eight characters in
  length.
• Password must contain at least one non-alpha
  character.
• Password must be at least two characters
  different from old password.
• Passwords will expire sixty days from date of
  change.

7
Password Policy (contd)

• Passwords not changed 30 days after date of
  expiration will be locked.
• Only MIS will be able to unlock locked accounts.
• Any account will be locked after three failed
  logon attempts and the user will have to contact
  MIS to unlock the account.

8
Password Reset Policy

• User contacts Primary contact or Secondary
  contact.
• Primary contact or Secondary contact requests
  password reset of MIS.
• Provide SSN of user needing password reset for
  verification.
• Prefer request through E-mail if possible.

9
Password Expiration

• Everyone will be forced to change their password
  when MSIS comes back up.
• Passwords must follow new password policy.
• MIS will send the primary contact a list of
  accounts locked after the initial 60 days.
• Those accounts who are not reset after the next
  30 days will be deleted.
• Users will have to file a new Oath of
  Confidentiality and MSIS-2 to create new accounts
  if the account is deleted.

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Password Examples

• Bigdog
• NO
• Bigdog8!
• YES
• password
• NO
• pa29ssword
• YES
• bluebird
• NO
• blue89bird
• YES

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Inactivity in MSIS

• MSIS sessions will be logged out after 30 minutes
  of inactivity
• A session where a save hasnt been executed or
  a screen change hasnt occurred is considered an
  inactive session.
• A session where a report is building is NOT
  considered an inactive session.
• If you are entering data but havent saved within
  the last 30 minutes will be considered inactive.
  You wont know it until you try to save the data.
• i.e., SAVE REGULARLY!!!

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And in conclusion

• MSIS contains some of the most confidential and
  important information anywhere. Always treat
  MSIS like you would your bank account.
• Always make sure you close the browser when
  leaving the computer.
• Never let the computer remember the password for
  you.
• Never stick the password to the computer on a
  sticky.
• Never share your password with anyone else.

13
As always.

• Any questions, just let me know
• 601-359-2114
• 601-668-1171
• kthompson_at_mde.k12.ms.us