Access Restrictions at Murdoch

Where access restrictions have been applied, you will usually find a hand icon next to the item. Restrictions may mean that you need to be using Murdoch University computing and networking facilities, or you may be required to login using a valid username and password.

At Murdoch, the most commonly used login is Murdoch Username (ie. Staff Number, Student Number, or Person Number) and Murdoch Password.

The following are examples of information resources, systems and services that have had access restrictions applied. A link is provided here to the corresponding help files.

Secure Servers

When prompted at a login screen to enter your Murdoch Username and Murdoch Password, the login screen should be accessed via a Secure Server (ie. the URL begins with https://). Where a Secure Server is used, your username and password will be encrypted when passed between your Web browser and the Web Server. There are Web Servers on campus that use Microsoft Windows authentication. Where access to a Web site is restricted via Windows authentication, you may not see the https:// in the URL. If you are concerned about the security of your Murdoch Password, please contact the IT Service Desk on 08 9360 2000.

Murdoch Password

Before you try connecting to a system or service that is restricted and requires you to enter a Murdoch Password, you are advised to use the facility to Check That Your Murdoch Password is Valid .

When you change your Murdoch Password, the changed password is reticulated from the Murdoch Authentication & Identification System (MAIS) database out to other systems and services. For more information on use of the Murdoch Password for Login for Systems & Services at Murdoch, and for details on Login Synchronisation, refer to information on Your Login at Murdoch.

MAIS Access Restriction

Some Web Servers restrict access to Content, to programs and to applications by interacting with the Murdoch Authentication & Identification System , usually referred to as the MAIS. The MAIS Server (https://mais.murdoch.edu.au) interacts with the MAIS database to authenticate users and, in some cases, to determine if a user has the appropriate MAIS Authority associated with their MAIS database entry to allow them to access the restricted Content, program, or application.

Systems and services that authenticate users against the MAIS, require a user to enter a Murdoch Username and a Murdoch Password. In most cases the login screen displayed will be the MAIS login screen, but there are some systems that authenticate users directly against the MAIS database, without interacting with the MAIS Server. These systems provide their own login screen (eg. MyInfo, Web Self Service).

To identify application systems and services that use the MAIS login screen, refer to the following list. In addition to applications, a large number of static Web pages and files in other formats such as PDF (eg. exam papers), are also restricted via the MAIS.

When you do select Systems and Services Using the MAIS Login Screen , you can then select the [ Help ] button to display the MAIS Help Topics .

The MAIS Help Topics include:

MAIS Login Persistence

MAIS Login Problems

MAIS Exit (Logout)

Where Is the MAIS Used?

NOTE: Problems may occur when you attempt to login at a MAIS login screen if you are using an old version of a Web browser, or with particular versions of a browser, or particular browsers on some types of computers.

Please check the MAIS Web Browser Requirements section of MAIS Help for the topics:

• Cookies
• Security
• Proxy Cache Server

Some users who use a computer in their workplace may find problems arise due to firewalls. Others have problems when they use an ISP and the Proxy Cache Server used by their ISP handles requests in such a way that an error message displays (eg. 'client IP address conflict'). Problems are minimised if the restricted information resource is also hosted on a Secure Web Server (ie. the URL begins with https://). Check the advice re Connecting to Secure Web Servers at Murdoch.

Active Directory Access Restriction

Some Web Servers restrict access to Content, to programs and to applications by interacting with the University's Microsoft Active Directory database to authenticate users and, in some cases, to determine if a user is a member of an Active Directory Authority Group and thus authorised to access the Content, program, or application.

Where a Web Server does interact with Active Directory, the login screen will not display the heading Murdoch Authentication & Identification System (ie, it will not be what is known as a MAIS login screen).

There will be situations where Content is restricted, but if you have already logged into your desktop computer via Active Directory, or a computer in a computing laboratory on campus, using your Murdoch Username and Password, then you will not be prompted to login again, particularly if your Web browser is Internet Explorer. However, if you are on campus and using a Web browser other than Internet Explorer, or if you are off campus (eg. at home using an ISP, or using a computer at your workplace), then you will be prompted at a login screen to authenticate using a Murdoch Username and Murdoch Password.

NOTE: In some cases, you may be required to enter the AD domain as part of your Murdoch Username, for example: AD\<Your Murdoch Username>

To identify those application systems and services with a Web interface that use Active Directory to restrict access, refer to the following list.

NOTE: You may need to be using Murdoch University computing and networking facilities on campus to access application systems and services. Not all applications and services are made available from off campus.

More Information

More details are available for Access Restrictions at Murdoch University , including details of Access Restriction Methods .

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