Last week IT professionals from the University of Indianapolis demonstrated their network virus detection and quarantine tool, called Shelob, at the Educause 2005 conference in Orlando, FL.

Shelob was designed to stem the rapid spread of network-propagated viruses by combining several existing protocols and services. This server-based management tool, capable of removing infected computers from the network, went into production in fall of 2004, monitoring all nonwireless traffic from resident halls, computer labs, and desktop computers.

My understanding is that the product, built on open source software, detects infections and automatically moves infected systems into a quarantine VLAN which points them towards a web page explaining the problem and how to fix it. The programs designers are working on gleaning up the project to make it usable by other instituions and groups through the Ungoliant project. Handouts from Educause and additional information are avilible at that site.