OIT News – September 2015

OIT News
Monthly news briefs, information and announcements
Office of Information Technology, NC State University
Issue 95, September 2015

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Follow OIT on Twitter @NCStateOIT
For up-to-the-minute reports on OIT systems, see SysNews
For help with computing problems, contact the NC State Help Desk

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01: Come to the IT Campus Community Meetings!
02: OIT to celebrate National Cyber Security Awareness Month – Protect the Pack: Secure State
03: Central IT extended maintenance scheduled for Sept. 19-20
04: MyPack Portal and Financial, HR and Student systems maintenance planned for Oct. 10-11
05: University warns students and employees of illegal peer-to-peer file sharing
06: Separation checklists for employees and supervisors
07: Update your online Campus Directory listing!
08: What you need to know about Gmail and third-party mail clients
09: Google introduces new Hangouts landing page and more features later this month
10: OIT offers Google Chrome, Mobile Security for iOS Devices and more training!
11: SAR training scheduled for Nov. 10
12: Be aware of targeted phishing attacks

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01: Come to the IT Campus Community Meetings!
As an NC State faculty, staff or student, you are using information technology (IT) resources every day. With the development of Partners in Innovation: A Strategic Plan for IT at NC State, 2014-2020, the university hopes to make IT an even better enabler of success for education, research, outreach, and business operations.

See how the university’s IT Strategic Plan first-round initiatives impact your research, work or studies during the upcoming IT Campus Community meetings. The IT Strategic Plan Implementation Steering Team invites you to attend the meetings at:

  • 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23
    Room 2225, Convocation Center
    College of Textiles
  • 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8
    Room 2215
    Williams Hall Auditorium

For more information about the IT Campus Community Meetings, visit the IT Strategic Plan’s Implementation Process website.

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02: OIT to celebrate National Cyber Security Awareness Month – Protect the Pack: Secure State
If you haven’t been phished, it’s only a matter of time! Phishing attacks are one of the primary cyber security threats to NC State campus. Organized by foreign governments, crime rings, or other nefarious actors, these around-the-clock attacks target intellectual property, research, sensitive data, and personal information for financial gain.

Universities, like NC State, are seen as prime targets because of their perceived open network access that allows exchange of research and ideas with other institutions of higher education and various partners and industries.

While NC State has employed technology and procedures to help protect you against these never-ending attacks, you remain its greatest line of defense.

During National Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM) in October, OIT, along with the NC State Department of Computer Science, ePartners Program, and NC State Engineering Foundation, will co-sponsor Protect the Pack: Secure State!, a month-long event to inform campus IT users about cyber security measures, including mobile device security, antivirus protection, 2-step verification, password protection, and security updates. October 2015 marks the 12th annual event sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the National Cyber Security Alliance “to increase the awareness and prevention of online security problems.”

This year’s event will highlight the FBI Cybersquad on Thursday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Coastal Ballroom of the Talley Student Union. Special agents John Maser and Scott Bennett will present on the current cyber threats and trends. This engaging presentation will include a general overview of the FBI and its cyber resources, criminal and national security cyber matters, and threat statistics. Agents will also examine personal computer safety and provide general recommendations for protecting yourself online. They will conclude with an overview of FBI cyber careers and internship opportunities.

CSAM will also feature Data Security for Researchers, a panel discussion that will be held on Friday, Oct. 30 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Currituck Ballroom of Talley Student Union. If you’re a campus researcher, do you know how to securely store data for your projects? Is your data and intellectual property protected from cyber criminals? Did you know that there are specific locations where sensitive data should be kept? Panelists, including NC State faculty researchers, Libraries staff and OIT staff members, will address these topics and answer data security and storage questions.

Light refreshments will be provided at each event, and participants will have the opportunity to win prizes. Other CSAM activities planned during October include:

Mobile Device Security Checkpoints
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 1: NC State Brickyard
Wednesday, Oct. 7: Oval, Centennial Campus
Thursday, Oct. 15: Talley Student Union
Wednesday, Oct. 21: Nelson Hall
Tuesday, Oct.  27: Court of Carolinas

Check to see if you have implemented safeguards on your iPhone or Android phone to protect against the most common risks.

Benefits of Google’s 2-Step Verification
Noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2
ITTC 1AB, D.H. Hill Library
Learn how this security feature can protect your Google Apps @ NC State account and keep it from being compromised. Nik Davlantis of OIT Technology Support Services will provide an overview of 2-Step Verification and detailed instructions on how to enable this tool.

What’s Your Cybersecurity IQ?
Noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5
216 Scott Hall
Do you know what it takes to keep your valuable information safe in cyberland? In this interactive session, you’ll learn tips to create better passwords, add layers of security to your accounts, avoid phishing attacks, and more!

Android Security
Noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13
216 Scott Hall
OIT Security and Compliance staff will take you through step-by-step recommendations — and requirements if you have a university-owned device — to secure your Android devices. Leave this session with the peace of mind brought to you by knowing your device is secure.

Mobile Security for iOS Devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch)
Noon to 1.p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28
119 Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), Centennial Campus
Everette Allen of OIT Outreach, Communications and Consulting will show you how to use a screen lock passcode, encrypt and back up your data, locate your device if it’s lost, scan your device for malware, and much more.

Tool Talks – Identity Finder
Noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29
106 Avent Ferry
Campus system administrators are invited to join OIT Security and Compliance for a live demo of Identify Finder, a scanning tool used to locate social security numbers, bank account information, credit card information, and other sensitive data on devices connected to NC State’s network. System administrators will learn tool functionality as well as how to leverage it on campus. This data discovery tool will be implemented on campus later this fall in connection with the Payment Card Industry-Data Security Standard project.

For more event information, see NC State’s Cyber Security Awareness Month website.

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03: Central IT extended maintenance scheduled for Sept. 19-20
On Saturday, Sept. 19 through Sunday, Sept. 20, OIT will perform extensive system maintenance, such as data center improvements that require shutdown and movement of equipment, hardware replacement and infrastructure configuration. This extended maintenance window will run from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday.

OIT services may be degraded or unavailable for extended periods during this maintenance window. These services include, but are not limited to:

  • MyPack Portal
  • Human Resources, Financial and Student systems
  • DELTA Wolfware (Moodle, Mediasite, Collaborate, and WolfWare Classic)
  • Virtual Computing Lab (VCL)
  • WolfPrint services
  • Hosted systems
  • Networked Attached Storage (NAS) shares and exports
  • Backup services
  • RedHat Network / Satellite service

Other proposed extended maintenance windows that can possibly impact IT services include:

  • Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015, through Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015
  • Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, through Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016
  • Saturday, April 9, 2016, through Sunday, April 10, 2016

For scheduled system changes and updates, see the Change Management Calendar or visit SysNews. If you have any questions, contact the NC State Help Desk at help@ncsu.edu or 919.515.HELP (4357).

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04: MyPack Portal and Financial, HR and Student systems maintenance planned for Oct. 10-11
OIT will perform system maintenance on the MyPack Portal, Financial, Human Resources, and the Student Information System from 6 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10 to 11 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11.

The portal as well as the Financial, HR and Student reporting and production systems will be unavailable. During this time, OIT will:

  • implement a PeopleTools and a minor database upgrade for the Financial System and the Portal.
    Financial customers will see a modern design on many pages following the maintenance.
  • perform maintenance tasks on all systems to ensure they remain stable and secure.

For upcoming system and service updates, see SysNews.

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05: University warns students and employees of illegal peer-to-peer file sharing
University students, faculty and staff are expected to respect the intellectual property rights of others and refrain from the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials — including illegal peer-to-peer file sharing —  which has personal risks and legal consequences.

Music, movies, videos, games, and other online media are protected by (or subject to) federal copyright laws. It is usually illegal to share them via peer-to-peer applications. In many situations, downloading or uploading even a portion of a copyrighted work without permission constitutes copyright infringement. File sharing also increases the likelihood that others could gain access to confidential data on your computer or install destructive computer viruses that could spread across the university’s network.

If you illegally download, upload, copy, or distribute copyrighted content, even unintentionally, you risk legal action and criminal prosecution, which could result in severe fines, personal financial loss or even imprisonment. For example, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently affirmed a lower court’s decision to fine a former Boston University graduate student $675,000 for illegally downloading and sharing 30 digital songs online (see Sony BMG Music Entertainment, et al. v. Joel Tenenbaum). Violating a copyright while using any university network or equipment may:

  • result in a permanent record at the university.
  • serve as evidence in court.
  • adversely affect your academic status and employment, up to and including discharge.

Be aware that copyright holders such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) are using automated systems to detect even small amounts of file sharing, and they are aggressively pursuing infringements. In addition, the university is increasing the logging and analysis of its wireless network activity to include monitoring of peer-to-peer file sharing.

The university acts quickly when notified of alleged copyright infringements. It refers incidents to appropriate campus officials and takes steps to stop any unauthorized download or distribution of copyrighted materials.

The following resources can help you become better informed about copyright and copyright law:

For assistance with removing P2P file sharing applications and copyright infringing materials, contact the NC State Help Desk at 919.515.HELP (4357).

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06: Separation checklists for employees and supervisors
When a university employee terminates his or her employment, supervisors are encouraged to review the System Access Checklist, a resource to use in conjunction with Human Resources’ Employee Separation Clearance Checklist.

During an employee’s separation, these documents help supervisors preserve access to the employee’s electronically stored information, systems and applications, which may include, but not be limited to: email, Google docs, items stored on departmental file shares, account names, encryption keys, and associated encryption passwords.

OIT and Human Resources also recommend that supervisors involve their departmental IT support early in the separation process to help identify stored items and points of access. The practical guidance in these documents will help both the supervisor and the employee make a smooth organizational transition.

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07: Update your online Campus Directory listing!
Has your office moved? Do you have a new job title or campus phone number? The beginning of the fall semester is a good time to check and update your personal listing in the online campus directory.

You are responsible for updating this information, which requires your Unity ID and password. If you do not know both of them, contact the NC State Help Desk at help@ncsu.edu or 919.515.HELP (4357). The Campus Directory Web page uses encryption to secure your information, and you should be able to access it using most Web browsers.

To update your online directory information, see “Related Tools” on the Campus Directory Web page. Your updated information will appear in the online campus directory within 24 hours. Please direct all questions to oit_access_mgmt@help.ncsu.edu.

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08: What you need to know about Gmail and third-party mail clients
As the fall semester gets into full swing, the NC State Help Desk has noticed an increase in calls pertaining to accidental deletions of email and email folders. To assist campus email users, the Google Service Team offers the following advice:

  • Use the Chrome Web browser and the Gmail app for mobile users to get full functionality and best performance in accessing, organizing and archiving your email.
  • Do not use an IMAP or third-party client to access your Gmail. While some business processes may work better with an IMAP or third-party client, if you choose to use them for mail:
    • Understand how the “Trash” and “Sent” folders work on your IMAP client and be careful about deleting them. Folders often behave differently on IMAP or third-party clients than they do within a Gmail app or Web browser.
    • Stay abreast of changes to Google and your IMAP or third-party client that may impact how your applications work.
    • Read Google’s Recommended IMAP client settings. Keep in mind that there may be some configurations that the NC State Help Desk is unable to support.
  • Don’t forget that your NC State Gmail account has unlimited storage, which means you can keep all of your email! The Google Service Team recommends that you archive your email — not delete them! When you archive — or remove selected messages (specify a label if you like) out of your Inbox — you keep your Inbox better organized and less cluttered. For more information, see Archive Messages in Gmail.

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09: Google introduces new Hangouts landing page and more features later this month
There’s a new place for Google Apps @ NC State users to hangout! Users can use the new Google Hangouts landing page to name their Hangout, choose a chat, Web or phone call, invite guests, or edit settings!

Users can still start Hangouts from the contact list in Google+ or Gmail and also can share a consistent experience from hangouts.google.com.

To find out more about this new interface, visit the NC State Google Service Team Google+ page. For more details on Google’s latest enhancements, check out the August edition of Google Apps What’s New.

New Google Apps features on the way

Later this month, Google plans to roll out the following features.

  • Gmail Events to Calendar
    Keeping up with travel plans, meetings and social events is getting easier for Gmail users. Now, any time emails are delivered to your Inbox with event or travel information, they will be automatically added as entries in your Google Calendar. They will even be updated if you receive an email with a status change.This feature is enabled by default on desktop and mobile (iOS and Android) devices. The events are visible only to Google Calendar owners by default; individuals with delegated access will not see them. Calendar owners can delete unwanted events, adjust visibility settings, or disable the feature in their Calendar settings.
  • Voice Dictation in Docs
    Save time in Docs by speaking your text and allowing Google to dictate it for you. Watch this brief video for a demonstration of this convenient new tool.
  • See New Changes in Docs
    View recent edits and editors in Google Docs by selecting See new changes at the top of your document or from the File menu in Docs online.

For a sneak preview of additional updates expected to hit NC State’s domain this month, see Do your best work with Google Docs.

For more Google news, features and updates, you can follow the Google Service Team on:

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10: OIT offers Google Chrome, Mobile Security for iOS Devices and more training!
Upcoming workshops include:

  • Google Slides will be offered on Thursday, Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. This session will focus on how to create, edit and share presentations. It will also include themes, transitions, animations, and more. If you would prefer to use your own laptop, feel free to bring it. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Mobile Security for iOS Devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) will be offered on Wednesday, Sept. 23 from noon to 1 p.m. in Room 203 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Come to this presentation to learn how to use a screen lock passcode, encrypt and backup data, locate your device if it’s lost, and scan your device for malware. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Introduction to Google Hangouts – Laptop/Desktop Application will be offered on Thursday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. This is a fun and interactive workshop to learn about the emergence of Google Hangouts, a free Web conferencing tool that allows easy communication on campus or across the globe via video, audio and text messaging. Learn how to use the Hangouts platform and its many helpful features. You are encouraged to bring a laptop to the session and can register via Classmate.
  • Create and Collaborate with Google Drive will be offered on Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn everything you need to know to get started using Google Docs/Drive at NC State. You will learn how to use Drive in a collaborative environment, including editing a file simultaneously with other people, securing a document through file sharing permissions, and creating files for use by a group of colleagues or friends. For this workshop, you will need to have an active NC State University Unity account with access to Google Apps at NC State. If you would prefer using your own laptop or other mobile device, feel free to bring it. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Get to know Google Chrome will be offered on Thursday, Oct. 1 from noon to 1 p.m. in 216 Scott Hall. In this workshop, you will learn how to use the Chrome Web browser more effectively, organize tabs, save personal settings and bookmarks, use apps and extensions to enhance your experience, and much more!  You will also gain a better understanding for why Chrome is the preferred browser for use with Google Apps. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Gmail: Beyond the Basics will be offered on Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. This workshop will provide an in-depth overview of Gmail features, including Labels, Search tools, Contacts Management, Chat, Tasks, Settings, Labs, and new features. If time permits, there will be a brief introduction to Google Hangouts. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Google Forms will be offered on Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Are you looking for a way to easily create surveys, plan events or gather data? Are you interested in learning more about specific apps available in Google Drive? If so, don’t miss this interactive session on the basics of creating forms and viewing responses. You will also learn several advanced features, such as embedding forms in websites, adding page breaks and incorporating question validation. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Hands-on OS X Device Management at NC State will be offered on Thursday, Oct. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon in 216 Scott Hall. If you are new to managing Macs or interested in learning more about managing your OS X device, this workshop will offer practical management tips, campus support resources and an overview of the Casper Suite Enterprise Service. Bring your questions and your Mac to participate in this hands-on workshop. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Google Sheets will be offered on Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. During this two-hour workshop, you will be given an overview of Sheets and learn how it differs from Microsoft Excel. You will also learn about features, including formatting options, find and replace, and notifications. To register, visit Classmate.
  • Google Calendar will be offered on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 110 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. If you’re comfortable with the basics of Google Calendar and are ready to use more of its features, this hands-on workshop is for you. This workshop will focus on appointment slots, event attachments, maps and directions, sharing and embedding calendars, labs, quick add, search options, mobile notifications, scheduling online meetings, and more. To register, visit Classmate.

For other available training sessions, visit Classmate Scheduled Workshops. If you are interested in custom software training, complete the Custom Training Form. Email all training questions to classreg@ncsu.edu.

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11: SAR training scheduled for Nov. 10
Security Access Request (SAR) training for campus requestors and approvers of access to secured university data will be held Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Room 108 of the Avent Ferry Technology Center. Visit Classmate to register for training.

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12: Be aware of targeted phishing attacks
No one is immune to phishing attacks, not even you. Targeted phishing attacks are increasing worldwide, even on NC State’s campus. Hackers often use the start of a semester to send specific phishing email to university students and employees to trick them into providing data to validate their accounts in order to attend class, pay bills or change payroll information.

You should never click on these (or any) types of phishing email or suspicious links to websites.

As demonstrated by recent high-profile incidents, database hacks also bring a great deal of opportunity for phishing attacks. As a target of a phishing attack, you may be asked to “log in to download the list of hacked accounts” or to “log in to see if you’re on it.” Hackers may even attempt to extort money from you. Keep your guard up and never click on these phishing emails or suspicious URLs.

If you have created an account on any website that has been breached, you should change the account password immediately. If you use the same password to access other accounts, including your university accounts, change the password on those accounts too.

Remember that no one from OIT or any NC State department will send you an email requesting your password or verification of your credentials.

For more information on how to protect yourself from phishing scams, see OIT’s Phishing website. If you receive a questionable email or have any questions about phishing, contact the NC State Help Desk at help@ncsu.edu or 919.515.4357 (HELP).

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