Telnet, the method you might be using to connect to minerva, is not secure. When you use telnet, all of your data (password, email, etc.) is sent in plain text, which is fairly easy for malicious people to intercept. Because it is insecure, we are in the process of discontinuing telnet access to minerva. After Friday, April 26 on-campus users will no longer be able to telnet to minerva.
Fortunately, there's a more secure alternative. SSH, or Secure SHell, is like telnet, except that all of your data is encrypted. We strongly encourage you to switch from telnet to SSH and change your password. To continue using your Simon's Rock account we recommend that you download and install an SSH client. Windows users may download PuTTY. For Mac OS 8/9 users we recommend NiftyTelnet SSH; Mac OS X comes with a built-in SSH client which is accessible via the Terminal application. There are many other SSH clients available. Once you have an SSH client installed, you should connect to minerva and type passwd to change your password to a new, secure password.
There are two alternatives to installing an SSH client. If you are only using telnet to check your email, you may prefer to use Simon's Rock webmail at https://inside.simons-rock.edu/webmail/. Alternatively, you may be able to use a web-based (java) SSH client. One is available at http://www.simons-rock.edu/ssh/. Please note that it only works with some platform/browser combinations.
Installing a Windows SSH Client...
Locate the putty.exe file that you have downloaded and double-click on the icon. The first time you run this application, you will need to type 22 under Port. Make sure you check the SSH button under Protocol:.
Each time you run PuTTY, you will need to type minerva.simons-rock.edu (or simply minerva if you are on campus) under Host Name (or IP address). Click on the Open button to connect. The first time you will be presented with a PuTTY Security Alert; click OK. Type in your user name and password when prompted. If you need more help, refer to the PuTTY User Manual and especially the PuTTY FAQ.
(Note: to copy and paste in PuTTY use the mouse buttons. Dragging the left mouse button in a PuTTY terminal window selects text and automatically copies it to the Windows clipboard. Hitting the right mouse button in a PuTTY window pastes the contents of the Windows clipboard into the session as if it were typed at the keyboard.)
For Mac Users...
Once you have downloaded nifty.sit, you may need to double-click on it to expand the .sit file. This should create a Folder named niftytelnet-1.1-ssh-r3 Folder which contains the application Nifty Telnet 1.1 SSH r3. The first time you run this application you will need to click on the Edit... button and modify three things. In the Shortcut Name: field type minerva. For Host Name: type minerva.simons-rock.edu. From the Protocol: pull-down menu, select SSH-Blowfish. You may wish to specify your User Name: as well. Click OK. Now NiftyTelnet SSH is all set up.
To use NiftyTelnet SSH, simply click the Connect button. The first time you will be presented with a Host Identification Alert window. Click the Accept&Save Button. Type in your user name and password when prompted, and select Login (or just hit Return).
The first time you connect using SSH you should change your password to
a new, secure password. To do so, type passwd and follow the
instructions. That's it! If you have any questions, send email to
ca.