Restrict AIM

truss64130 · #1 January 17th, 2007, 10:10 AM

I manage a lab at a university and I'm trying to prevent users from using AIM while working for me. Every time they download AIM, it creates a new copy of it, so I cannot restrict it with the User Limitations via system preferences. For example, they just download AIM and it makes AIM (copy1, etc) and same thing when it is installed.

Any suggestions for locking down AIM?

I'm running 10.3.9

bobw · #2 January 17th, 2007, 10:47 AM

AIM uses tcp port 5190, so if you block that, it will prevent them from using AIM.

truss64130 · #3 January 17th, 2007, 12:49 PM

I thought of that, but is there a way to do that from the MAC (built in firewall or something.) I'm not in charge of the campus firewall so it would have to be for that computer only.

bobw · #4 January 17th, 2007, 12:53 PM

You could probably block that port in the Firewall.
Open the Sharing PreferencePane and click Firewall and then New.

truss64130 · #5 January 17th, 2007, 01:04 PM

just tried that, it only works for incomming connections. What blows my mind is that I set the different user permissions for applications in user accounts (the only apps they are allowed to use) but then OSX lets them run an app they downloaded. That feature seems rather useless if I cannot prevent downloaded programs from running.

Any other suggestions?

sinclair_tm · #6 January 17th, 2007, 01:53 PM

make them limited accounts that only give them the icons of the apps they need, not of the whole system.

truss64130 · #7 January 17th, 2007, 02:16 PM

tried that, but you can still open IE or Safari, (both programs are needed) and download / install AIM. I tried both in some limitations and a simplified finder accounts.

I appreciate all of your help though.

bobw · #8 January 17th, 2007, 02:22 PM

Disable Stuffit and DiskImageMounter. Maybe that would prevent open the downloaded file.