Tech updates for January 2022

Hello Students, Faculty, and Staff:

Long time no post! Post long this time... no? 

Here is what we are covering in this update:

• Uptick in phishing via email and texting - how to protect your personal and work accounts
• Classroom tech for remote learning
• Special software loads for coursework
• Copiers and Printers on campus
• Chip cards

Uptick in phishing email and texting

There has been a tremendous uptick in phishing schemes. They are becoming more and more clever, but remember the rule that if it sounds too good to be true, it [probably] is! 

Many of you got the following email this week:

Company’s Name:

Havas Group

Company’s Description:

We create thoughtful, insight-led strategies that fuel authentic partnerships, amplified by imaginative experiences and engaging content.

Job Title :

Advertise while driving.

Job Description:

We seek interested candidates to go about their normal routine with the advert of “ #TogetherAtHome, #SafeHands And #SocialDistancing ” on their car/ truck/ bikes.

Qualifications:

Must have a Car, Truck, Van, or Motorcycle.

Salary:

$300 weekly.

In the above case, one of our student accounts was hijacked (taken over) by a spammer. The account was used to send out hundreds of messages to our students, faculty, and staff. The lesson here is to be suspicious of a message even if it comes from a source you know.

Phishing and Spam via text message - sometimes called SMISHING

Or you find yourself getting a text supposedly from Verizon or AT&T wanting to give you a free gift just for paying your bill on time last month. 

DON'T BELIEVE IT! 

How to protect yourself

1. Ignore, delete, block, and/or report phishing attempts as spam.
2. If you are unsure, talk to someone you trust to provide technical guidance.
3. DON'T CLICK THE LINK! These are often set up special for each message they send. If you click the link, they will know it was your number/email or YOU that clicked the link. 
4. Enable two factor authentication on all your accounts whenever possible.
5. Perform a security check up every once and a while on your email and social media accounts. You can perform a security check on your google accounts using this link:
   https://myaccount.google.com/security

Classroom tech for remote learning

As Omicron burns its way through the US population, many of you have found yourself in the classroom where part of the class is remote and others are in person. Be sure to let the IT Help Desk know if you encounter any issues in the classroom or with the remote classroom tech, Google Meet or Zoom. 

Please contact the IT Help Desk if you have any questions or issues. We can be reached via email at helpdesk@malone.edu , via the web at http://www.malone.edu/helpdesk or by phone at 330.471.8428.

Special software loads for coursework

We have gotten several requests for special software to be loaded for course work this Spring. Please remember to give us as much notice as possible when you plan to use proprietary software for your course(s).  We have remote lab facilities which we can make available to remote students too.

To check computer lab availability, you can sign into Malone Xpress and click the "Computer Lab Availability" quick link. It looks like this:

this link is available from on campus.

This will show you open workstations in each computer lab. You can select a computer in a lab and it will tell you what software is loaded on it.

Copiers and Printers on campus

Adoption of the new Toshiba copiers has gone very well from our perspective in the Information Technologies office. We have seen an organic shift of imaging from the more expensive printers on campus to the less expansive and more feature-rich copiers. 

Detailed billing and usage information is available to departments upon request. All users can sign into the papercut interface to view their own usage using the Papecut icon in the Quicklinks on Malone Xpress. The icon looks like this:

The papercut info page is also only available from on campus.

In papercut, it will tell you how many light bulbs you've burned, carbon dioxide you've created, and trees that you have killed. It also give you other interesting statistics about your printing and imaging. Here are my stats since April of 2009:

Printer Fleet reduction

We will be working with departments on campus to reduce the number of printers on campus. This will have significant positive impacts to our power utilization and maintenance costs. It will also free up some space in offices where there used to be multiple devices for printing and imaging. 

Copier Training

If you have questions about your new copier and its operation, please call the Toshiba contact number located on the front of the unit or visit their web site and make a request. They will ask for the contract number also located on the front of the unit. Training can be done over the phone, via a remote session, or up to and including in person training from a certified Toshiba trainer.

Chip cards

Students

If your card or sticker chip wears out, please work with Pattie and the team in Student Development to get a replacement. 

Faculty and Staff

Your administrative contact in your office should have stickers available to you. You can contact HR to get your card reprinted or to update your ID card photo

All

We have new ID card printers on order. The new cards will have the chip integrated into the body of the card. The printers were ordered in the fall and now we are waiting for them to be built and shipped to us. The delivery of these devices is beholden to the same shipping and manufacturing delays that are affecting so many industries.