When Kansas University professor John Hoopes couldn’t access his university e-mail account from home recently, he didn’t worry.

The Sobig and Blaster computer viruses were wreaking havoc across the country. Hoopes figured KU was blocking access to protect itself — and that he would get his e-mail account back once the crisis had passed.

He was wrong.

“What I didn’t realize is that it’s something happening at the national level,” he said.

Upon the advice of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Internet service providers across the country have disabled Web pathways they think are vulnerable to attack.

That includes “ports” used by Microsoft Outlook clients to check e-mail accounts from remote locations.

“That is a vulnerable port that has been damaging the stability of the Internet as a whole,” said Patrick Knorr of Sunflower Broadband, which provides Internet access to 12,000 customers in and around Lawrence.

Sunflower Broadband is a division of The World Company, which owns the Journal-World.

The disabling of Port 135 — as the file-sharing pathway is known — is being felt at KU, where, Hoopes said, hundreds of faculty members use the Microsoft e-mail program. The university provides Internet service on campus.

Marilu Goodyear, KU’s vice provost, said she didn’t know how many faculty members used the program from home. Knorr said he thought about a dozen customers were affected. A spokesman for SBC Communications, another Internet provider in Lawrence, said the port in question was not being blocked here.

Goodyear said accounts also can be checked using Web browsers.

“There are multiple ways to get access to e-mail,” she said.

Hoopes said Web access to e-mail “is slower and doesn’t have as many features … it’s an inconvenience and an annoyance.”

Goodyear agreed. She said KU was testing an alternative e-mail program with encryption protection. It will be from six to nine months before it is in place, however.

“Between the heavy load of viruses and worms, we’re going to be making compromises in access for security,” she said. “It is going to inconvenience people.”

Hoopes had other concerns.

“What I’m curious about, and what I don’t know, is if it represents a precedent in the Office of Homeland Security taking control over how the Internet operates,” he said. “It’s never affected me in this way before.”

Attempts to contact the Department of Homeland Security for comment were unsuccessful last week. An e-mail to the department went unanswered.

Experts said further restrictions might be necessary in the future.

“As the Internet matures, it’s necessary to put some limits on it,” Knorr said. “Unfortunately, there’s no way to leave it open for some and closed for others.”