Security

CorINFO provide the robust and secure interface that is necessary for Kiosk Applications intended for unattended self-service Kiosk terminals. Security features, such as, Content Filtering, Key Combinations Blocking, Mouse Right-Click Blocking, Full Event Logging, Password Protected Application Exit, Windows Taskbar Hiding and Pop-ups Monitoring and Control, prevent normal Kiosk users from terminating/exiting the Kiosk Application, prevent them from gaining access to the operating system, the hard drives, the file-manager or other applications, and prevent them from changing any system or application settings. Thus, the Kiosks are sheltered from misuse or malicious conduct in public places, the Kiosk’s software integrity is guarded and the privacy of all the Kiosk’s users is protected.

Content Filtering

CorINFO allows the following content classification for URLs, Protocols, Drives, Files and File Extensions:

• Block: Access is denied (no message is displayed)
  
  
• Restrict: Access is denied and a message 'Access Restricted' is displayed
  
  
• Pay: Access is allowed only when the user has time left on the terminal (valid only on 'Pay and Surf' terminal)
  
  
• Free: Access is allowed in all cases (free information)

On the same Kiosk we can have all of the above types of information. Thus, users can have access to both Free information and Paid information (payments are done through a Banknote/Coin Acceptor or Card Reader), and at the same time to be Restricted or Blocked from specific URL’s. This increases system security and prevents the users from straying beyond areas that the application is designed to access; Content Filtering enable safe browsing of the entire Internet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CorINFO provides the tools (in CorConfigurator) for Loading a Sample Filter List of the most common URLs, Protocols, Drives and File Extensions to Block/Restrict/Pay/Free, as well as, the tools for Creating a Filter List of all the internal URLs and Files (eg. URLs/Files of the Initial Starting Page, Default/Return Page, Buttons NavigateTo URLs/Pages, Banner Hot Links, etc.) up to a user defined Level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Block Keyboard Accelerators

CorINFO provides the option to disable/block Keyboard Accelerators in order to prevent access to the Operating System of the Machine, to prevent possible security breaches and to avert possible malicious attacks. The following Keyboard Accelerators (also known as Key Combinations) as blocked:

• Ctrl+Esc
• Ctrl+F4
• Ctrl+A
• Ctrl+N
• Ctrl+O
• Alt+Tab
• Alt+Esc
• Alt+F4
• Ctrl+Alt+Del (on NT-based operating systems a utility is required)
• Left Windows Key
• Right Windows Key
• Applications Key
• Help Key
• Execute Key
• Print Screen Key

Block Mouse Right-Click

CorINFO provides the option to disable/block the Mouse Right Button Click in order to prevent the users from accessing certain functions (eg. MS Internet Explored Right-Click Menu Options) that uphold a general threat to the Kiosk’s software integrity or might allow possible security breaches.

Full Event Logging

CorINFO provide the option to keep a record of all the Kiosk Application activities in a Log File. The Kiosk Application developer can choose the filename and the location of the Log File, as well as, the maximum size (in KB) that the Log File can grow to. When the Log File reaches this maximum size, CorINFO adds a date stamp to the Log Filename, saves it and then starts a new fresh Log File; this way, Log Files are kept to a manageable size and, at the same time, no log data are lost.

The CorINFO Log Files, with all the details of the Kiosk Application events, can be used to generate various Management and Marketing Reports, such as, Kiosk Uptime Report, Users’ Favorite List, Pages Most Visited List, URL Usage List, Peek and Low Usage Time Studies, etc.

Supports Multiple User Passwords

The Kiosk Network Administrator and Maintenance Personnel can Terminate/EXIT the CorINFO application, Shut-Down the Kiosk, Reboot the Kiosk, Power-Down the Kiosk, Log-off and gain access to the CorINFO Reports by pressing/ clicking the EXIT Button and entering a password. Normal users should not be able to terminate/exit the application, nor gain access to the operating system or other applications.

By assigning different EXIT Buttons (each with a unique password) to different people, you can increase system security and control, for all access and system operations can be monitored and recorded in the CorINFO and system logs.

In addition to the unique password defined for each EXIT Button (button specific password), a different global Administrator password (Admin EXIT password) can also be defined. The Admin EXIT password is valid for all the EXIT Buttons of the application.

Multiple EXIT Buttons & Configurations

A CorINFO application can have more that one EXIT buttons and each one with a different password. Furthermore, you can conceal an EXIT Buttons by assigning a NavigateTo information page or URL address.

Consequently, an EXIT Buttons can have one the following configurations (each configuration behaves differently):

• EXIT Button with a NavigateTo page/address and with a Password. When pressed/clicked, the predefined information is presented; the “Enter Password” dialogue opens only when the button is repeatedly pressed/clicked for 4 times. If no valid password is entered or the system stays idle for more that 60 seconds, the “Enter Password” dialogue disappears and the Kiosk returns to normal operations.

• EXIT Button without a NavigateTo page/ address but with a Password. When pressed/clicked the user is asked to enter the EXIT Password (ie. the “Enter Password” dialogue opens as soon as the EXIT Button is pressed/clicked.)  

• EXIT Button without a Password (ie. the password for that button is left blank). When pressed/clicked, the CorINFO application is terminated immediately and the user gains access to the operating system without entering a password. This mode is not recommended for public access kiosks, however, it is very useful for demo applications and in-house presentations.

Option to Hide Windows Taskbar

CorINFO provides the option to hide the Windows Taskbar (ie. the bottom bar of Windows with the Start button) on start-up and the option to restore it on Exit or Keep it hidden. Keeping the Windows Taskbar hidden at all times reinforces system security, for, in the remote case that the user manages to terminate the kiosk application, the user can hardly gain any control of the kiosk resources/ services without the Start Menu options.

Window Pop-ups Handling

CorINFO provide three options for handling Pop-up Browser Windows:

• Do Not Load/Cancel Pop-Ups
• Load Pop-Ups in the Main Browser Window
• Load Pop-Ups in New Browser Windows. For Each New Window a Selection Button is Allocated and Positioned at the Bottom of the Browser; the Wider the Browser the More Windows you can Open.

Terminal Management Tools

The Kiosk Network Administrator and Maintenance Personnel can gain access to the Terminal Management Tools by pressing/clicking the EXIT Button and entering a password. These tools enable the user to Terminate/EXIT the CorINFO application, Shut-Down the Kiosk, Reboot the Kiosk, Power-Down the Kiosk, Log-off and gain access to the CorINFO Reports.

CorINFO Reports, such as, the Event Log and Banknote Reader Log, provide online tracking and reporting of detailed information on kiosk locations, URL usage and payment related information (eg. total number of banknotes accepted, total value of the banknotes accepted).

Schedule System Reboot/Power-Down

CorINFO can be scheduled to automatically Reboot or Power-Down (if soft Power-Down is supported by the hardware) the Kiosk on a given Day and Time of the week or Every Day at a given Time.

CorINFO always checks, before proceeding with a scheduled Reboot/Power-down, whether there is any user activity. If there is a user working on the Kiosk then the Reboot/Power-Down operation will be postponed until the Kiosk enter the idle mode (ie. nobody is using the Kiosk). CorINFO will cancel the operation for that day if after 1 hour, from the scheduled Reboot/Power-Down task, the Kiosk is still busy (ie. there is a user working on the Kiosk).

Network Management Tools

CorINFO Monitor is one of the optional tools of the CorINFO suite of products. CorINFO Monitor provides Network Management by collecting Status Messages (eg. errors and alerts) from CorINFO terminals/kiosks which are then analyzed and organized in Status and Availability/Usage Reports. CorINFO Monitor is an essential tool for Kiosk Networks with 20 or more terminals/kiosks that must be monitored and managed continuously to ensure maximum availability and uptime.

CorINFO Monitor can poll the kiosks on a predefined time schedule. For real-time monitoring over a persistent communications connection, the Status Messages are collected each time an event occurs. For dial-up connections or lower bandwidth connections, the Status Messages are collected in batches on a specified schedule. When CorINFO Monitor detects a hardware or software error on a kiosk, it immediately notifies the network manager who, in turn, can take fault resolution measures, such as, terminal remote reboot, software reconfiguration and reload or can dispatch a hardware or software engineer for on-site repair.

In addition to the Kiosk Status Messages, CorINFO Monitor can also collect all the Logs (that are generated on the kiosks by the Terminal Management Tools) for centralized report processing. As such, CorINFO Monitor works very closely with the Terminal Management Tools (Terminal Management Tools is an integral part of the CorINFO Shell) to ensure maximum availability and kiosk uptime.