Things I Hate: Impulse Policy Key
Posted on January 7, 2008 in Editorials, Technology
Many universities have taken it upon themselves to restrict students’ access to the Internet.
These universities have employed the “SafeConnect Solution Architecture” from Impulse to control what students living on-campus can do with their internet connections. Students are required to install a “Policy Key” which checks for compliance with the school’s network access policies.
The policies range from disallowing peer-to-peer file sharing programs to requiring anti-virus software be installed and running on a student’s computer.
The key also checks to see if a student is using a router, which is also disallowed.
It’s certainly not difficult to see the upside of the policy key for universities. By preventing students from using file sharing applications, they can avoid confrontations with the MPAA and RIAA about movie and music pirating.
It is also fair to say that universities are wise in trying to protect themselves. They are, after all, the ones in charge of the internet connections, meaning they could easily be considered liable for any illegal activities that take place on their networks.
But there is a lot wrong with Impulse’s policy key.
Obviously, there’s an eerie “Big Brother” element to it. The key is aware of what programs students are running, and what students do with their internet connections. If that was being done by a normal internet service provider, it would be considered an invasion of privacy. But since students must agree to using the policy key to simply connect to the internet, they are forced to forfeit their right to privacy.
The policy key also makes online gaming and networking next to impossible.
I’ve had a miserable time trying to play games online while using an on-campus internet connection. My PlayStation 2 will disconnect frequently, if it connects at all, and my Xbox 360 doesn’t fare much better.
Since the use of a router is disallowed, I can’t connect to the internet on a second, older computer which I’d like to use for simple, frequent tasks such as e-mail and chatting (without circumventing the policy key by disabling what it looks for). I have only one Ethernet port, and I’m restricted to only connecting to one device with it.
The policy key forces students to give up their right to privacy, and it prevents basic, legal uses of an internet connection. That’s not fair to students who live on-campus at universities that employ the software.
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Wow…this is one of those “amazing” topics, since it both highlights the lack of privacy within a policy, yet highlights the need for one. Conversely, the Orwellian aspect is not lost on me, however, Impulse is something you KNOW is tracking and monitoring: Google, FaceBook, MySpace are not so forthcoming, and yet track enough (especially FaceBook) to do some serious damage.
Objectively, I can see both sides.
Side “A”, from the user’s point-of-view, is targeted mostly at people who are about to become adults. The pros to this are that students get internet access, and the cost is ‘hidden’ (I assume). The cons, of course, are such things as the young adults being conditioned to accept a loss of privacy as the norm; an RR-esque pseudo-control over the viewing of, use of, or publishing of ‘questionable’ material; an insult that is delivered every time you attempt to access anything that “might” be offensive or anti-policy, whether it be porn, bomb schematics, religious teachings, weather in your hometown.
Of course, from the schools point-of-view…or Side “B”…there is, at least in the US of A, a tendency to cover one’s ass in order to avoid the infamous lawsuit. The “my coffee was hot, and I poured it on myself, but there was no warning label, so I just got 1.44 million dollars richer” kind of lawsuit. Anything questionable, anywhere on the internet, coming through the school’s connection is somehow (and I do NOT agree) their responsibilty…their recourse, of course, is to pilot a course avoiding ANY type of indemnity. Add to this a plethora of complaints that might arise if everyone (which, btw almost NEVER happens) was to download a 10 GB file at the same time. This avoids two things: Everyone connected gets “their fair share” (grow up…life is not fair, LOL) AND, AND there is no studentia-sponsored movement to have more bandwidth, a cost to the faculty, added.
The disturbing bottom line, IMHO, is that as a student, you pretty much have to abide or concede. If you want what they give, you must bend over. It is ‘almost’ extortionistic, if I haven’t just made up a word.
I know that post-secondary education is about the same time I expected to be treated more as an adult than a child.
My university has been using impulse for about two years now. Although I can see why they want to use it, there are far too many problems with the program (aside from the obvious and disturbing privacy issues). In addition to the problems you mentioned there are other major issues with the policy key.
Personally I find the most annoying problem I’ve dealt with is the impulse program wanting to be reinstalled after every single startup/restart. (I spent an entire semester only using the hibernate function on laptop just to avoid having to reinstall every single time.) This is even worse on vista, where you must go in to safe mode to first uninstall the program before you can reinstall it.
Even though impulse is supposed to support a number of antivirus programs, it often throws up random errors involving not finding the specific program or saying that the virus definition are not up-to-date.
About two years ago, when I found out that only windows users had to install impulse, I decided to switch to a dual-boot (xp/ubuntu) system. Now with the problems between vista and impulse on my new computer, I’ll have to do the same thing again if I want to use the internet!
NIAC:
You’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head. It does serve a purpose, but the universities throw students under the bus to keep themselves away from legal action.
mortal_type:
Yeah, many of the problems the policy key has are just ridiculous.
There are the times, as you’ve mention, where it forgets it has been installed, and then there’s my personal favorite: the times it decides you’re “behind a NAT’d device” despite being connected via Ethernet.
Yeah, thankfully the imaginary router problem has only happened to me a couple of times. I have a Ethernet switch/port replicator in my room -similar to the ones provided by housing for the triple rooms- but I haven’t had issues with it yet. I’m still torn: as much as I dislike impulse, in some ways it is a necessary evil. The privacy issues still bug me. As long as it doesn’t interfere with my life too much I’ll survive, but I’m certainly not happy about it.
After I posted that comment earlier I noticed that we go to the same university. Random eh? I found your post when I searched google for “impulse policy key”. One advantage of impulse: forming social ties based on similar dislike of the program… =)
mortal_type:
That’s really funny. Small world.
I’ve managed to get my router working, but not the way I’d like it to. I had to turn settings off to get it to where it is.
It is a necessary evil… it just doesn’t need to be as evil as it is. ;D
Bandwidth. P2P messaging and online gaming take up a lot of space so there is that preventative measure that ensures you even have a connection to consider.
Then again the privacy aspect of being watched is kind of unsettling but if university is supposed to prepare you for the real world, shouldn’t you begin to understand what it means to conform and toe the line?
Would you pay extra to have a dedicated line that logistically and empirically would remain after you have graduated? From the institution’s point of view, this is possibly the only compromise to ensure that their network is protected, their students are protected and yes, their asses are protected.
“It is a necessary evil… it just doesn’t need to be as evil as it is. ;D” welcome to adulthood my friend. Welcome. =)
The old man and I will save you seat at the bus stop so you can complain and hit those damn kids with our canes. =)
Does anyone know of a way to bypass this check?
Impulse Key’s proxy server detects your OS solely through your web browser’s user agent string. So, just use a browser (like Firefox) that allows you to change the user agent. Set it to make it appear as if your computer is running Linux or OS X. Impulse Key’s server won’t think you’re running Windows, and thus won’t check for the key.
To switch the user agent in Firefox, see http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2004/04/24/changinguseragent.html
Change it to “Mozilla/5.0 (Linux).” You can then uninstall Impulse Key.
yep there are ways around most college systems…somewhat.
Often its never using the inhouse stuff but using hte web only stuff from off campus.
In my own case, even when in the dorm I never used the inhouse setup but connected to systems off campus that had campus access.
Thanks Julian. That fix worked perfectly. I didn’t even have to install the key first. The system thinks I am running a Linux box.