Obscured E-mail Feature Improves Security on University Directory

The Northwestern University Online Directory features an additional layer of security to guard against the harvesting of e-mail addresses by solicitors. Starting on March 20, 2006, Northwestern University Information Technology (NUIT) will enable e-mail obscuring for off-network users of the Online Directory, an increasingly industry-standard practice. In this form of e-mail obscuring, addresses are translated from active, clickable links into individual image files of the address. This non-clickable address is not readable by automated harvesting tools, but can be viewed by human users. Obscured e-mail will appear like this:

This additional layer of security for University e-mail addresses only applies to anonymous, off-network users. The Online Directory will not change for on-campus and VPN users.

Obscuring Northwestern e-mail addresses will result in greater security for NU data and network services, as well as individual users of the NU Network. Preventing e-mail harvesting reduces the junk e-mail received by users and ensures the optimal performance of the NU Network and the E-mail Defense System (EDS).

E-mail obscuring only applies to off-campus use of the Online Directory. On-campus and off-campus VPN users will continue to view the version of the Online Directory with active, clickable e-mail addresses. Off-campus users can also use the Authenticated Sign-on to view full information.

Visit the Authenticating to the NU Network (VPN) page on the NUIT Web site for more information about how to log into the NU Network from off-campus.

NUIT Support Center

Central helpdesk for faculty, staff, and students.
847-491-HELP (4357)
consultant@northwestern.edu