School Board and Encrypted Connection

[aimeeandbeatles]

Okay, my school board can read everything we look at or send over the internet. Supposing there are no keyloggers (I know there aren't...I checked the processes list in the task manager! Naughty Aimee!), would they be able to read what was sent over an encrypted (SSL) connection? I'm worried about them getting my password for various sites (I only use for school-related purposes -- Google Docs, a file-uploading website, etc).

Thanks.

 

[Zelig]

No, they won't be able to, in general, that's the point of encryption.

And any half-decent keylogger isn't going to show up in the task manager.

 

[Cutlass]

Probably yes, because on the section that you are using, their computer, or their network, SSL does not kick in. That only works on the net.

 

[Speedo]

Supposing there are no keyloggers (I know there aren't...I checked the processes list in the task manager! Naughty Aimee!)

Not all running processes have to be shown in the task manager.

 

[Grisu]

Probably yes, because on the section that you are using, their computer, or their network, SSL does not kick in. That only works on the net.

IIRC SSL encrypts the payload between your pc and the destination. So it should be encrypted even within the network. If they are using SSL that's not based on certificate authentication, a man-in-the-middle attack would be possible, but no halfway serious site does that anymore.

oh yeah, and what the others side regarding keyloggers

 

[Genocidicbunny]

If your school has a WiFi network you might be able to get them to give you access and then you can just bring your laptop. From that, you should be able to use SSL without any risk of keyloggers.

And the technology contract that you signed at the beginning of the year probably has something along the lines of "We have the right to view any and all data being accessed on this network" and things like that. So the best possible thing you can do it bring in as much of your own equipment as possible. You can also check to see if there's a free WiFi hotspot in the school area. I know that metrofi has one near my school so that I can bring my laptop and use it without even accessing the school network.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I don't have a laptop, although a *few* classrooms have wi-fi.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

If only a few classrooms have it, its likely a school wifi network.

You could find out how to connect to the network and get something like portable Linux and just boot your own OS when you need it.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I've been thinking of getting a laptop. Just a small one. There's a good computer store in town, custom builds them, lets you make payments, though you can't take it until its paid off.
Though not many people in the school carry laptops around. It's all friggen cellphones which go off in the middle of class although rules say you're supposed to turn them off.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

No, they won't be able to, in general, that's the point of encryption.

And any half-decent keylogger isn't going to show up in the task manager.

I check the processes, and I don't see anything except the school network program, Novell or whatever it's called. Hell, I wasn't even supposed to be access the task manager, but I can get past that

 

[Zelig]

I check the processes, and I don't see anything except the school network program, Novell or whatever it's called. Hell, I wasn't even supposed to be access the task manager, but I can get past that

Keyloggers aren't going to show up in the list of processes.