We have several maintenance items scheduled for this evening:
First, beginning at 7:00 PM this evening, we will be reindexing and updating App Xtender.
Then, beginning at 9:00 PM, we will be installing Windows Updates to all PCs on campus. Users are encouraged to log off but leave their computers on when leaving work today to assist in the installation of these patches.
Finally, beginning at 9:30 PM, there may be brief interruptions to several back-end systems and services as we perform updates and reboots as part of the patching and maintenance process. There should be very minimal impact to campus users at this time.
***Cybersecurity Tip #2, It’s Everyone’s Job to Ensure Online Safety at Work***
When you are on the job, ASU’s online safety and security is a responsibility we all share. As the lines between our work and daily lives become increasingly blurred, it is more important than ever to be certain that smart cybersecurity carries over between the two. Check out this infographic from our friends at the National Cyber Security Alliance (staysafeonline.org) for some quick wins that can make you safer at work and more secure at home: NCSAM Infographic.
Computing Services thanks you for your patience and understanding as we perform these critical maintenance activities. As always, if you have any questions, please call the ASU Computing Services Helpdesk at 7741 or contact us via email at computingservices@adams.edu.
Have a great day!
Computing Services
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Now in its 15th year, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) — observed every October — was created to help everyone have the resources to stay safe and secure online. This year’s NCSAM theme is Our Shared Responsibility.
We lead internet-connected, digital lives. From our desks and homes to on-the-go, we work, learn and play online. Even when we are not directly connected to the internet, our critical infrastructure — the vast, worldwide connection of computers, data, and websites supporting our everyday lives through financial transactions, transportation systems, healthcare records, emergency response systems, personal communications and more — impacts everyone. No individual, business or government entity is solely responsible for securing the internet. Everyone has a role in securing their part of cyberspace, including the devices and networks they use. Individual actions have a collective impact and when we use the internet safely, we make it more secure for everyone. If each of us does our part — implementing stronger security practices, raising community awareness, educating young people, or training employees — we will be a digital society safer and more resistant from attacks and more resilient if an attack occurs.
Throughout the month, we’ll provide some videos and other resources to get you thinking about what you can do to protect yourself and the university online.
An excellent first step in protecting your privacy is selecting strong passwords.
Passwords should be long and strong, instead of short and sweet, with a combination of lower/uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters. With all of these requirements, how do you choose a strong password that’s easy to remember? Check out this quick video for some tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhlXtBNNuKs
Just as important as choosing a strong password is using unique passwords for EVERY site you visit. That way, even if a site is compromised, that password cannot be used to access your bank, credit cards, or social media sites.
For more tips and tricks in choosing and remembering good passwords, including a secure way (hint: it’s not a post-it note!) to store them, check out our Password Tips on our how-to: https://howto.adams.edu/Password_Tips
IMPORTANT: It is a violation of ASU policy to share your password with anyone. This includes logging in to a computer with your ASU account and letting someone else to use your workstation. All employees, including work studies, should use their own account.
Computing Services is here to help you with cybersecurity and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us at (719) 587-7741, computingservices@adams.edu, or stop by our offices in the Computing Services building.
As the fall semester gets underway, I’m writing to remind you of the risks involved with illegally downloading and/or sharing of copyrighted music, movies, games and software over the Internet. Unauthorized obtaining, sharing or offering such copyrighted material is illegal and in violation of U.S. copyright law. If caught, you may face severe civil and criminal penalties, including prison and monetary damages. Anyone found to have infringed a copyrighted work may be liable for statutory damages of up to $30,000 for each work and, if found to be willful, that amount may be increased up to $150,000 for each work infringed. Movie and recording companies actively monitor the Internet to identify individuals who are illegally downloading and/or sharing movies and music via peer-to-peer networks.
ASU fully complies with Federal law and takes prompt action when notified that one of its students may be illegally downloading and/or sharing copyrighted material. University Policy 500-008, Unauthorized Downloading and File Sharing of Copyrighted Digital Materials, is located on the ASU Computing Services Website in the Policies section, at https://www.adams.edu/administration/computing/. If caught, ASU penalties could include loss of access to the campus computer network, disciplinary action and in extreme cases, expulsion from the University.
You may think that the large movie or recording companies won’t bother prosecuting a single university student downloading or sharing copyrighted material. Think again. Organizations such as the Recording Industry Association of America are serious about protecting their copyrighted material. In 2009, a Boston University graduate student was ordered to pay $675,000 for illegally downloading and distributing 30 songs. This comes out to $22,500, per incident, of copyright infringement. There are a number of online sources that provide legal alternatives for downloading or otherwise acquiring copyrighted material. A listing of many of these sites can be found at: http://www.educause.edu/legalcontent.
If you have specific questions regarding ASU’s Unauthorized Downloading and File Sharing Policy please contact the
Beginning at 9:00 PM, campus PCs will receive updates to Windows and Java. All PC users are encouraged to log off and leave their computers on when leaving work today to aid in the installation process.
Also beginning at 9:00 PM, Computing Services will be performing maintenance on several back-end systems. There will be minimal interruptions to campus services as we perform these maintenance activities.
***NCSAM Post 3, Don’t get rained on in the Cloud!***
For our third post for National Cyber-Security Awareness month, we bring you some insight and education on the “cloud” and a little bit of humor:
Computing Services thanks you for your patience and understanding as we perform these critical maintenance activities. As always, if you have any questions, please call the ASU Computing Services Helpdesk at 7741 or contact us via email at computingservices@adams.edu
Have a great day!
Computing Services
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Beginning at 9:00 PM, campus Mac computers will receive updates to Safari, Chrome, Office and Flash. All Mac users are encouraged to log off and leave their computers on when leaving work today to aid in the installation process.
Also beginning at 9:00 PM, Computing Services will be performing maintenance on several back-end systems. There will be minimal interruptions to campus services as we perform these maintenance activities.
***National Cyber-Security Awareness Month Post #2***
As a reminder, October is National Cyber-Security Awareness month. Below is a link to the Computing Services blog that has our kick-off post and our new post this week, called “Cyber Security: Don’t be like Billy, Jennie, or Betty.”
Computing Services thanks you for your patience and understanding as we perform these critical maintenance activities. As always, if you have any questions, please call the ASU Computing Services Helpdesk at 7741 or contact us via email at computingservices@adams.edu
Have a great day!
Computing Services
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Don’t be victims like the folks in this video! Be thoughtful. Regular updates, common sense, and backups all come into play when avoiding trouble in today’s modern computer driven world.
ASU Computing Services
computingservices@adams.edu
719-587-7741
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It seems a day hardly goes by without word of a breach of credit card, health care information, or accounts breached. All ASU Faculty and Staff are stewards of student, employee, and institutional data and must take steps to protect it. National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) celebrated every October – was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure every American has the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online. This month we will provide a series of informative videos once or twice each week, culminating with the start of our required annual security training.
ASU Computing Services
computingservices@adams.edu
719-587-7741
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It has been a while since Computing Services sent a reminder regarding phishing and scam emails. Phishing emails are malicious emails where the attacker will pose as a legitimate organization to attempt to trick you into clicking on malicious links, download attachments, and could possibly lead to disclosing your personal information.
Following are the steps to distinguish phishing from regular emails:
Don’t trust the display name
A favorite phishing tactic among cybercriminals is to spoof the display name of an email. Experts have found that nearly half of all email threats spoofed the brand in the display name. The bottom line is don’t trust the display name. Check the email address in the header from—if looks suspicious, don’t open the email.
Look but don’t click
Hover your mouse over any links embedded in the body of the email. If the link address looks weird, don’t click on it. If you want to test the link, open a new browser window and type in website address directly rather than clicking on the link from unsolicited emails.
Check for spelling mistakes
Brands are pretty serious about email. Legitimate messages usually do not have major spelling mistakes or poor grammar. Read your emails carefully and report anything that seems suspicious.
Analyze the salutation
Is the email addressed to a vague “Valued Customer?” If so, watch out—legitimate businesses will often use a personal salutation with your first and last name.
Don’t give out personal information
Legitimate banks and most other companies will never ask for personal credentials via email.
Beware of urgent or threatening language in the subject line
Invoking a sense of urgency or fear is a common phishing tactic. Beware of subject lines that claim your “account has been suspended” or your account had an “unauthorized login attempt.”
Review the signature
Lack of details about the signer or how you can contact a company strongly suggests a phish. Legitimate businesses always provide contact details.
Don’t click on attachments
Including malicious attachments that contain viruses and malware is a common phishing tactic. Malware can damage files on your computer, steal your passwords or spy on you without your knowledge. Don’t open any email attachments you weren’t expecting.
Don’t trust the header from email address
Fraudsters not only spoof brands in the display name, but also spoof brands in the header from email address.
Don’t believe everything you see
Phishers are extremely good at what they do. Just because an email has convincing brand logos, language, and a seemingly valid email address, does not mean that it’s legitimate. Be skeptical when it comes to your email messages—if it looks even remotely suspicious, don’t open it.
If you have replied to phishing emails, and have sent money, please report this fraud to the ASU Police Department at (719)587-7901.
Final reminder, Computing Services will never ask for your username and password via email.
