To help stop you accidentally opening a phishing website which can install malware on your computer, we use software called Resource Policy Zone (RPZ). It helps us keep our computer and information safe when browsing the web using the University network.
The system uses a list of known phishing sites, which is updated regularly, and monitors the IP addresses that a browser is pointing to when a search command has been given by a user.
If you click a web link that is banned by the system you should see a warning page saying something like this:
Access to this site has been blocked
Why?
It has been identified as a harmful website (eg containing malware, or linked to spam email).
It has been blocked by the University’s Response Policy Zones (RPZ) system, which blocks requests to harmful websites, and provides another layer of defence on top of existing antivirus systems.
We only block sites which are harmful to information security, blocking is not otherwise based on site content. Blocked sites include phishing sites which collect usernames and password and other personal data illegitimately, which can then be used fraudulently.
I did not go to this website
If your computer is compromised by malware, it may be trying to connect to this website without your knowledge. You will need to remove the malware using an appropriate ant-virus/anti-malware program.
I think the website is legitimate
Contact us if there is a web site which you believe should be accessible, and we will investigate. We cannot remove the block in some circumstances – for example, many websites which appear legitimate may be harbouring content that is damaging to your computer without the site administrator’s knowledge.
Contact us for help or advice
01227 82 4888
Email: helpdesk@kent.ac.uk
Visit the help points in the library on your campus
search ‘IT services’ on the Kent website for full IT advice about Kent services.
search ‘internet safety’ on the Kent website for security advice.