Security

The campus has recently been targeted by malicious e-mails that appear to be attempts to gain user information such as passwords. One recent phishing e-mail was supposedly from “CULink Email Alert” urging account owners to submit personal information for account verification. Individuals who received this e-mail should simply delete the message.

If you or someone in your department responded to the CULink phishing attempt and entered user information, that person should contact the IT Service Center during regular business hours at 303-735-4357 (5-HELP from a campus phone).

The campus has recently been targeted by malicious e-mails that appear to be attempts to gain user information such as passwords. One recent phishing e-mail was supposedly from the CULink Abuse Team urging account owners to take action to prevent account termination. Individuals who received this e-mail should simply delete the message.

If you or someone in your department responded to the CULink phishing attempt and entered user information, that person should contact the IT Service Center during regular business hours at 303-735-4357 (5-HELP from a campus phone).

The campus has recently been targeted by malicious e-mails that appear to be attempts to gain user information such as passwords and bank account information. One recent phishing e-mail was supposedly from Wells Fargo and titled “Important Notification from us.” Individuals who received these e-mails should simply delete the messages.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month is an annual effort to increase awareness and prevention of online security problems, spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).

In late September the Campus IT Security Office began implementing a new security measure which protects the campus from websites that are known to contain malware. Sites that are blocked are often trying to install software on visitor’s computers without their knowledge. The software can range from browser pop-ups to spyware and viruses. Once installed, these viruses are often used to gain access to computers in order to use them to send spam or for other nefarious purposes.

Antivirus software is one of the most important tools for safeguarding your computer, vital University information, and personal data from viruses and worms. All CU Boulder faculty, staff and students are encouraged to check their computers for a current version of antivirus software, as some software has been updated.

The IT Security Office (ITSO) recommended software is available on the OIT website at http://oit.colorado.edu/antivirus.

On Friday, September 30, Microsoft Forefront and Security Essentials, the two recommended antivirus solutions for campus network users, started misidentifying Google Chrome as a virus and automatically removing it from computers on which both are installed. Microsoft has since resolved the conflict by releasing new virus definitions for Forefront and Security Essentials but you must update your virus definitions (see instructions below) before you will be able to reinstall Chrome on affected computers.
 

The University of Colorado at Boulder encourages the fair use of copyrighted materials in support of its academic and research mission, and strives to provide clear guidance to faculty, students, and staff who wish to use copyrighted materials in their teaching and research. Go to the university's copyright and fair use website.

Know What You Are Responsible For

CU-Boulder employees have access to, and are responsible for protecting, a wide variety of sensitive information. Unauthorized exposure of information such as student academic records, medical information, credit card information, and social security numbers can have a harmful effect on people's lives. Therefore, OIT recommends scanning your computer for private data frequently so you can take the proper precautions.

Modern malware targets locations computers store records of purchases made online, college applications, credit and banking applications and more. If the malware finds this information it communicates that information to its creator. The information is then used to steal identities or to make errant purchases without the owner's knowledge. Knowing where this information is provides the user with options. Students are advised to utilize this software to assist in protecting themselves.

Tips for helping your customers transition

• First, it's a good practice to uninstall CAeTrust from their systems. Uninstall CA eTrust on Windows and Uninstall CA eTrust on Macintosh.

OIT advises Linux administrators use file protection based on the functionality of the system. If you are running a file server that hosts files that can be executed on a Windows system, use antivirus protection from ClamAV. Host-based intrusion detection (HIDS) is advised for systems that run internet facing services.

Forefront vs. Security Essentials

Forefront vs. Security Essentials