Don`t be Duped!!! by Karen Klose

Winter 2010
Volume 1 Issue 2
Information Technology
Services Newsletter
Reed Library
SUNY Fredonia
Don’t be Duped!!!
It is EASY to be, but DON’T BE
DUPED when it comes to Phishing
and Identity Theft!!!
FredQuest Trivia
3,533 tickets
closed since
9/23/09
According to the Multi-State Information
Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC)
http://www.msisac.org “the volume of phishing scams is increasing, and the methodologies used to launch attacks continue to become more sophisticated. In particular, cyber criminals are taking advantage of the rise
in popularity of social networking sites. Both
the volume of users and the generally
“open” environment of these sites make
them prime targets for those with malicious
intent. Knowing how to recognize – and
avoid- phishing scams require our constant
vigilance and attention.”
A recent webinar sponsored by MS-ISAC
(archive available http://www.msisac.org/
webcast/2009-12/index.cfm for your viewing)
mentioned the following:
 Unique phishing sites detected by MSISAC.org have increased from 27,300 to
47,000.
 URLs are now coded to redirect you to a
different server that then compromises
your computer desktop.
 Phishers are targeting more companies,
more higher education institutions, more
payment industries such as PayPal.
They are also targeting social networking
sites such as Linked in and Facebook.
Use a department or office account as the
contact in University Catalog and the Web!
This is a preferred practice, so that office and departmental business can be monitored by staff designated to do so, rather than using individual email accounts. If your office/department has not set up
such an account please post your request using
FredQuest: https://fredquest.fredonia.edu/
www.fredonia.edu/its [email protected] 716.673.4670
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by Karen Klose
Some online chats are posing as Bank IT
staff.
Of 21,856,361 computers scanned by
MSISAC 54% were infected with malware.
Be on the lookout for the following!!
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Web pop-ups are often maliciously programmed. DO NOT TOUCH! Close the
browser session instead or use CTRL
ALT DELETE to open Task Manager and
close the pop-up that way.
Email Cards can be maliciously programmed. Be VERY CAREFUL before
clicking on the link. Verify that the email
header information looks legitimate and
that the card is sent from someone you
know. If it says something like “you
have a greeting card from a friend” delete the email!!
Do not click on unknown or unsolicited
links in email messages! The URL could
be programmed to redirect you maliciously and you wouldn’t even know it!
Apply for email accounts (through your
home ISP or through Gmail, etc.) to use
to communicate with friends and family,
and another email account to use when
making online purchases. Then the junk
mail or spam will go to that one account.
See DON’T BE DUPED page 5
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Phishing and Identity Theft
2
Thompson Lab Updated
3
Is a Netbook right for me?
4
System Maintenance Schedule
5
FredQuest is Best!
Thompson W211/217 Lab Updated
by Christopher Taverna
As part of the ITAB Lab 3 year renovation cycle the computer lab in Thompson W211/W217 received new equipment
this winter break. The project was headed by AIT staff member Christopher Taverna, with assistance provided by AIT
Director Colin Plaister, Douglas Johnson, Alex Moon, and David Torres, also of AIT. Student employees Luke Fountaine,
Tim Hawco, and Tom Kramer completed the workforce for this project.
The work began during the Fall 2009 semester when the members of the ITAB Lab Subcommittee approved the proposed budget for renovating the lab. The budget proposal included new computers and monitors, upgraded software,
new printers, and new tables for the 32 station lab. Physical work in the lab took place in the two week period from
January 4 – January 15. The old computers and monitors were reassigned to the lab located in Reed Library.
The Thompson W211/W217 Lab is used both as a teaching classroom and an open lab space for students; in the Fall
2009 semester 1,956 individuals logged into the lab a total of 15,007 times, with a total usage of over 10,500 hours. The
hours of operation and information on specific software installed in the lab can be found at: http://www.fredonia.edu/ait/
labs/ThompsonW211217.asp
More information about the ITAB Lab 3 year renovation plan can be found at:
http://www.fredonia.edu/its/itab/labrenovation2008.asp
All SMART classrooms with a wall
mounted box now have a wired keyboard and mouse to use if the wireless system is not working.
www.fredonia.edu/its [email protected] 716.673.4670
Security Tip
plus “ L”
Lock your desktop and access
to confidential information
when you step away!
Is a Netbook right for me??
by Cathie Zakrzewski
This past holiday season, Netbooks were the go-to gift for the
electronics buff. Many electronics stores and online retailers
used them as the loss-leader to get customers into their
“store”. Did people really know what they were getting? Are
these little units appropriate for business applications?? Here’s
a bit of information to help you decide if a Netbook would
REALLY meet your needs.
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Netbooks are lightweight and easy to carry with you when
traveling (locally or out-of-town).
Netbooks are equipped with WiFi, providing easy access to
the internet from many locations around the world.
Most Netbooks also come equipped with an Ethernet jack to
provide hard-wired (more secure) access to the Internet.
Depending on the battery that comes with a unit, you could
be provided with anywhere from 4-10 hours of use before
recharging is necessary.
Some of the larger models are being designed with nearly fullsized keyboards, in a layout consistent with a standard
QWERTY keyboard.
Works well for showing standard PowerPoint presentations
when connected to a projector (i.e. smart classrooms).
So, if you want to be “connected” to the cyber world wherever
you roam, and want a screen that is larger than your smart
phone, a Netbook might be for you. If you want to do more
than surf the net, read your email, listen to music or type notes,
we suggest you review the following info to see if a Netbook
still meets your needs.
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Netbook processor speeds are currently at 1.66 GHz or less.
The laptops we quote for campus use have Dual Core 2.53
GHz processors (towers have Dual Core 3.16 GHz processors). So be aware that Netbooks process at a slower rate
than you may be accustomed to experiencing.
RAM memory also impacts speed. Currently, Netbooks are
being offered with 1-2 gigabytes of RAM. Upgrades to this
configuration are not available at this time.
Netbooks do not come equipped with internal DVD/CD drives.
Thus, installation of additional software is limited to
downloads or the purchase of an external DVD/CD drive
would be required.
Given the slower processer speed, Netbooks are limited in
what additional software will run on them. Higher end processes such as database or photo/video manipulation software
and gaming could be clunky or may not run at all monitor sizes
that range from about 7-12 inches diagonally. This will give
you much more real estate than a smart phone, but be aware
that even with this size screen, considerable scrolling may be
necessary to view any given message or webpage.
www.fredonia.edu/its [email protected] 716.673.4670
ITS Enrolls in AELP
by John McCune
This past September, Apple announced the brand
new Apple Education Licensing Program (AELP).
This program is the first of its kind for Apple in which
an annual agreement is offered to provide the opportunity for a university or department to enter into an
ongoing agreement to keep Apple software licensing
current year after year.
ITS has enrolled in the program to cover all the university owned Apple Computers on campus for the
Mac Software Collection. An advantage to the program is that it not only provides the most recent versions of software such as the operating system and
iLife, but it also provides licensing for previous versions as well for those systems that do not fulfill the
most recent system requirements.
If any departments are interested in enrolling in the
program to receive professional application software
such as Aperture, Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Express,
Logic Studio, or Logic Express they can submit a
FredQuest ticket to receive pricing information.
Further information on the AELP program and listings
of what is included in the Mac Software Collection is
available at Apple's website - http://
www.apple.com/education/licensingprogram/
Snow Leopard
by John McCune
During the fall semester, Apple announced the release of the10.6 Snow Leopard operating system.
This new operating system is the first Intel processor
based native operating system for Macintosh. There
are numerous advantages over previous versions of
OS such as the improvements of overall performance and increased efficiency through utilizing technologies that include 64 bit processing, Grand Central Dispatch, OpenCL, and QuickTime X.
During the spring semester, ITS has begun deploying
OS 10.6 Snow Leopard on all new computers that
have been purchased for the university. The Mason
2016 and 2017 computer labs were the first labs to
be transitioned over during the winter break period.
During the summer, areas that will be transitioned
over include the smart classroom Apple computers
as well as the Media Arts lab in 106 McEwen Hall.
Widespread deployment will occur during the summer and fall 2010 semester to computers that fulfill
the system requirements. Further information on
Snow Leopard can be found at Apple's website http://www.apple.com/macosx/
Dear Geek by “The Geek”
Dear Geek:
So, what’s this Malware stuff I keep hearing about?? How do you get it and how can you prevent it??
A Fredonia Computer User
Dear Fredonia Computer User:
I’m so glad you asked that question! Malware (aka adware, spyware, toolbars, and much more) is ugly stuff, running
rampant all across the internet…..and only YOU can prevent it! Honestly – you are your own worst enemy when it
comes to Malware.
Adware places advertisements on your desktop, often (but not exclusively) related to a webpage you may be surfing.
It can also be installed (along with other nasty stuff) when you download a free program, game, an application like a
real-time weather tracker, an emoticon library, animated cursers or a fancy screensaver. Inclusion of adware is not
exclusive to freeware programs, it can also come packaged in programs that you pay for. Just be sure to read the
“fine print”. Do you really need that 365 Days of Rodents screensaver??? Just say no.
Spyware sends information about you or your computer to the “spy” trying to access your machine. Spyware has
the ability to send information like usernames & passwords (keystroke capturing) and the contents of your email address book (spammers love this) to someone who has nothing better to do than make your life (and those of your
friends & relatives) miserable. It often piggybacks itself on to other functions, like clicking on a pop-up button, installing a software application or adding functions to your web browser (like a toolbar). Do you really need that software
that lets you transform a photo of your brother into a dancing elephant? Just say no.
Toolbars like the ones offered by Google & Yahoo! are legitimate and often useful. If you are solicited by any other
entity to download their toolbar – beware!! They are sneaky and will often try to make their toolbar “look” like one
from Google or Yahoo! Do not be fooled. Underhanded toolbars can be a mask for adware and spyware. Just say
no.
Showing restraint when surfing the net or looking for that cool new application is your best defense against Malware.
Peer-to-peer file sharing programs are riddled with malware. Pop-up boxes that tell you your computer is running
slow (and offering a free computer scan) or displaying a Security Warning should cause you to take note – it’s probably Malware. (Don’t click on the buttons displayed on the pop-up, or even use the X in the upper right-hand corner to
close the box. The safest way to close a pop-up is to right click on the pop-up on your task bar and select “close”.
Or close the pop-up from Task Manager. To access Task Manager, press CTRL, Alt & Del simultaneously and select
“Start Task Manager”.) Additionally, be sure to really read what the Security Warning says. The pop-ups are OFTEN
designed to look like legitimate Windows or Internet Explorer warnings. Just say no. So, be careful out there – it
can be a dangerous world in cyberspace.
The Geek
Tech Watch
System Maintenance Schedule
Editor: Gale VerHague
Contributors: Michael Gerholdt, Karen
Klose, John McCune, Colin Plaister,
Christopher Taverna, David Torres,
Janet Mayer, Cathie Zakrzewski
Photo Credits: Gale VerHague, Andrea
Wasiura
A system maintenance schedule provides a “window of opportunity” to apply
security patches and upgrades to systems in order to maintain the health, reliability, and security of each system. This is a reminder that the following maintenance “windows” were chosen based on times of least impact to users and
the availability of technical staff to administer the upgrades. It is quite likely the
service will be unavailable during the scheduled maintenance time.
ANGEL Learning Management System, Wednesdays, 4-7 AM
Tech Watch is published three times a year
Exchange Email System, Fridays, 7-9 PM
by Information Technology Services.
www.fredonia.edu/its [email protected] 716.673.4670
From DON’T BE DUPED page 1
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Do not allow your children to use the same computer
that you use for online banking or that you use for an
office VPN.
If concerned that your office computer is infected, immediately submit a FredQuest ticket https://
fredquest.fredonia.edu/ to schedule assistance.
If concerned that your home computer is infected, immediately disconnect it from the Internet and schedule
assistance from a computer support company in your
area or try using legitimate free products such as AdAware or Spybot Search and Destroy to remove malware or viruses (download the tools using someone
else’s computer to a USB drive and then use on infected computer that is disconnected from the Internet).
Don’t ever download updates from any links or sites
other than the software company!
Be a human firewall! Follow good security practices
and be a human filter to keep data and identities secure! Check out the numerous cyber security guidelines available at the MS-ISAC.org website!
“Cloud” Email Evaluation
An evaluation of Google Apps and Microsoft
Live@edu as a potential future alternative to the current SUNY Fredonia Microsoft Exchange environment
was recently initiated. ITS and ITAB members will be
assisting the formal team with the evaluation during
March with a recommendation to the Information
Technology Advisory Board in April.
Evaluation Team Members:
ITS Member, Evaluation Leader, Karen Klose
ITS Member, Project Manager, Janet Mayer
ITS Member, Test Sites Administrator, Scott Grien
Academic Affairs Faculty Members, Andrew Cullison,
Phil Hastings
Administration Member, Lisa Marrano
Senate Member, Mike Szocki
Student Affairs Member, Mark Suida
Student Member, Greg Kuhn
University Advancement Member, Jonathan Woolson
FredQuest is Best!
Time Machine and Backups
by John McCune
Entering a support ticket in FredQuest is the best
way to receive help. There are many reasons:

Agents monitor FredQuest tickets closely,
even when the person you need is out of the
office. Your request won’t get lost in someone’s email or voicemail.
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You don’t need to know who the best person is to resolve your issue. FredQuest
Agents can figure that out for you.
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Complex issues require lots of details. If you
happen to have one of these, all of your details stay in the ticket as it escalates. You
don’t have to explain the symptoms or details repeatedly.
As of OS 10.5 Leopard, Apple included an application
for providing automated backups named Time Machine to OS X. Through utilizing a second hard drive,
backups can be automated to provide complete copies of all your files and applications. In the event that
a file may have been deleted by accident, you can
even open up Time Machine to recover any files that
were previously saved.
For any new Mac Pro towers, ITS encourages that a
second internal drive be purchased as a dedicated
time machine drive. For any laptops, ITS encourages
that an external drive be purchased to serve as a dedicated time machine drive. We have already had several cases where if it wasn't for the time machine
backup that the data would have been completely lost
from a failed hard drive.
Further information on Time Machine can be found at
Apple's website - http://www.apple.com/macosx/
what-is-macosx/time-machine.html
www.fredonia.edu/its [email protected] 716.673.4670
Identity Management Investigation Underway
Identity management is the process of identifying users and giving them electronic access to services. ITS has initiated
an investigation of current identity management needs. As more systems are added, more time is spent supporting
these accounts. ITS is increasingly called on to give account information to new software applications for employees,
faculty and students.
SUNY Fredonia can make better use of its resources by implementing a system that efficiently handles identities and
puts us in a position to rapidly integrate with ever increasing demands for new software systems.
SUNY System Administration is moving towards federated identity management systems and is offering assistance to
individual campuses to create identity systems based on SAML standards, which is the protocol for identity systems.
By investigating our current system and needs, ITS can take advantage of this assistance and work with SUNY Admin to
provide seamless access to state accounts.
A team of three ITS employees are researching the current account and access processes as well as analyzing the FredQuest tickets related to account set-up. This investigation is part of the Fredonia Plan’s Single Gateway Initiative. Stay
tuned for more information on this important project.
Thinking of purchasing an
office printer? Consider all
your needs before ordering…
A standard black and white laser printer can
meet the majority of our office needs, and a
central networked printer for a department or
office is the most economical way to provide
print services. If you have color printing needs,
a color networked laser would be worth investigating. Don’t forget that multi function printers
might be a good option as well. They provide
copy, print, fax, and scanning capabilities. If
you want to discuss departmental or office current or potential usage, or printer capabilities
such as duty cycle (Yes…DUTY CYCLE), submit
a FredQuest ticket requesting ITS Consultation
for multi-function devices and a meeting will be
scheduled!
The “Green Purchasing” Sustainability Subcommittee sent a campus memo in September advising that the New York State Office of Taxpayer Accountability sent SUNY Fredonia information on holding down printing costs. Two
suggestions from that memo were to
“eliminate personal printers, except in those
cases where an accommodation must be made
for a person with a disability”, and “replace multiple individual printers in adjacent offices with
standardized, centralized networked copiers
with lower power consumption and per page
costs”.
THINK
SPRING!!!
How to Retrieve Your Voice Mail from
Off-Campus
1.
Dial your office telephone number.
2.
Allow the phone to ring to get your mail greeting.
3.
After the voicemail message begins, press the * key.
4.
Dial your pass code number.
5. You are then able to listen to any messages that are in
your voicemail box.
www.fredonia.edu/its [email protected] 716.673.4670
ITS Staff Profile
Karen S. Klose, Associate Vice President for Information
Technology Services
Karen joined the Information Technology Services staff as the Banner
Student Information System Conversion Project Manager in 1998, following a fifteen-year career in Financial Aid that concluded as Director from
1992-1998. In 1999 Karen was appointed Interim Associate Vice President for Information Technology Services which resulted in formal appointment at the conclusion of a search in 2001.
As one of the longest serving members of the Academic Affairs Vice
President’s Council, Karen has been selected by the Vice President for
Academic Affairs to participate in an administrative review during the
Spring 2010 semester. Karen welcomes the opportunity for colleagues
to review her portfolio which will be available in the near future in the
Administrative Review area of the Academic Affairs web page located at:
http://www.fredonia.edu/academicaffairs/adminreviews/
Operating System and Software Upgrade Plans!
Snow Leopard for Macintosh has been tested and compatibility issues resolved. New Mac orders placed at this time
will be ordered with Snow Leopard installed. Current Mac users can request Snow Leopard installation via a FredQuest
ticket request https://fredquest.fredonia.edu/ and installation will be scheduled throughout the semester and/or summer.
Windows7 compatibility testing is underway, and all computer labs and smart classrooms are scheduled for an upgrade
during the summer prior to the start of the fall 2010 semester. Assuming no compatibility issues with administrative or
faculty software applications, new windows machines for offices will be prepped with Windows 7 beginning in late
March/early April.
Internet Explorer 8 compatibility testing is pending SunGardHE Banner support for IE8. Banner users are advised to not
upgrade until SunGardHE announces support. All other users could upgrade to IE8.
Office 2008 for Macintosh is available. Installation can be scheduled via a FredQuest ticket.
Office 2010 for Windows is scheduled for release in June. Testing will resume once released with campus deployment
timeframe dependent on number of changes, bugs, and user training.
Office 2010 for Macintosh has not been announced. There is speculation it will be released sometime in the fall, possibly as late as December. Upon release testing will begin. As with the Windows version campus implementation will
depend on number of changes, bugs, and user training/familiarity.
Maple, Mathematica, Minitab, and SPSS software in smart classrooms will be upgraded during the summer to Maple
13, Mathematica 7, Minitab 15, and SPSS 18.
Cool Query Stats
From September 30, 2009 through February 8,
2010 a total of 3,594 CQ reports have been run
resulting in 1,741,922,304 bytes ( 1.62 GB) of
reported data.
www.fredonia.edu/its [email protected] 716.673.4670