CCIT is aware that some Clemson University employees received an email(s) from Microsoft 365 last night (Nov. 11) between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. EST that welcomed them to the “aad_veeam_backupgroup.” This email resulted from an error as CCIT works to implement a new backup tool for Clemson’s Office 365 environment. Please disregard any emails received about this; no further action is necessary.
Thank you,
CCIT
Clemson users should be aware of another targeted phishing campaign. This one claims to be a University Supported Program and offers to help staff and students with financial support.
Below is an example of one of these types of emails.
Users are prompted to follow a link within the email, which takes them to a login page that asks them to enter their email address, username and password. They are hoping that you will enter your Clemson account information.
But this is actually a scam designed to steal users’ credentials. If you receive an email similar to this, you should report it using the Report Phishing button in Outlook or by forwarding it to phishing@clemson.edu.
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and cybersecurity plays a critical role at Clemson University. To celebrate, Clemson students and employees have a unique opportunity to visit the Cybersecurity Operations Center (CSOC) in the Watt Family Innovation Center (WFIC) as they host a drop-in open house on Monday, October 7, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This open house will showcase invaluable insights into the critical role the CSOC plays in detecting, monitoring, and negating cybersecurity issues that individuals at Clemson face daily. CSOC staff will show you their state-of-the-art facility and discuss the kinds of work they get to do. Students can also learn from experts about what it takes to enter Cybersecurity as a career, including opportunities for internships in the CSOC, where Clemson students have the ability to take the theory they learned in class and apply it in real-world situations while kickstarting their career.
CSOC Drop-in Open House
Tuesday, October 7, 2024
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Watt Family Innovation Center
(Attendees must check in at the WFIC front desk)
Please note: the fourth floor of the WFIC is normally closed off to visitors. To access the CSOC during the open house, check in at the Watt Center front desk on the first floor before being escorted up to the CSOC on the fourth floor.
Welcome to CCIT This Week, where we give you a rundown of news, tips, upcoming maintenance and more. This page will be updated throughout the week. Follow us on Twitter @ClemsonIT for daily information and timely updates.
The CCIT Support Center is available to help. Even during campus closure, our Support Center is open and answering calls, texts and email. Walk-ins are not accepted if campus or Cooper Library is closed.
Learn the Support Center’s hours and get IT help
Upgraded accessibility website and policy guidelines announced. Clemson University remains committed to creating an accessible environment for all students, faculty and staff. As part of this commitment, experts across the University worked to build a new website to support accessibility at Clemson and a new policy to conform with federal updates to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Learn more about online accessibility at Clemson
Important updates to Smartsheet for Faculty and Staff. Clemson University’s Procurement and Business Services informed Smartsheet on August 12, 2024, the University will no longer permit license purchases or renewals of Smartsheet due to Smartsheet’s inability to support accessibility as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Learn more about the changes to Smartsheet
Join live a workshop with CCIT Research, Computing and Data! Join the RCD team to expand your knowledge of high-performance computing and research resources available to you! The next workshop on “Machine learning in Python with Clemson HPC” will be Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. Registration is required; open to all Palmetto users.
Learn more and register online
Learn how to deter cheating through effective course design with Clemson Online! Join this training on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 1:30 p.m. to learn about why students cheat and how to design assignments and courses in Canvas that increase motivation for online students.
Check out the full events calendar from Clemson Online
The popular GIS Fundamentals Workshop Series continues! This Fall, a new curriculum for the GIS Fundamentals Workshops series has been introduced, which promises to empower attendees with the latest state-of-the-art technology accessible through any device. The workshops have been streamlined to cover five critical topics that guarantee coverage of all the GIS fundamentals. The next workshop topic will be “Field Data Collection with GIS” on Friday, Oct. 11. These hybrid workshops are free and open to all Clemson students, faculty, and staff; no previous experience is necessary! Sessions will be delivered online every other Friday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Note: Attendance at the first two workshops is mandatory to participate in the remaining sessions.
Learn more on the Clemson GIS website
Print anywhere on campus with PaperCut! PaperCut allows students to print to any of the printers located in public computer areas on campus. Each semester all students are given a quota of funds that can be used for printing and plotting services. More information, including installers and quick start guides for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, are available by visiting clemson.edu/papercut.
Check out upcoming maintenance events on our CCIT Status Page.
As hurricane and storm season continues, it is important to remember that being prepared for severe weather also includes protecting your technology. For general preparedness information, ready.gov offers helpful instructions.
Familiarize yourself with Clemson University’s safety information
Clemson University’s Emergency Management offers useful information for natural disasters preparedness and emergencies on campus. Familiarize yourself with some of the modes of communication, including their Emergency Preparedness page. They update their social media with alerts as well (@ClemsonSafety is a good place to start).
To receive CU Alerts on your phone, follow these instructions CU Alerts are important to stay up to date on any campus or area situations and responses year-round.
Backup your data
It’s always a good idea to consistently back up your data. As a member of the Clemson community, you have free cloud storage through services like Box and OneDrive. Cloud storage should still be accessible in the event of severe weather at Clemson. Make sure to keep copies of frequently used documents in addition to regular backups.
What happens if Clemson applications are down?
The CCIT status page at status.ccit.clemson.edu is hosted off-site and should remain accessible, as should the CCIT website at ccit.clemson.edu. We will continue to post updates to university systems on the status page with information regarding possible service interruptions, as well as posting updates to the official CCIT Twitter account at @ClemsonIT. We encourage you to subscribe for notifications from the CCIT status page.
Other general preparedness technology tips
Be aware of cybercriminals
Since ordering and receiving packages has become commonplace for most people, cybercriminals are trying to take advantage of this practice. One of the ways they do this is by sending you a package with an item from a common online retailer, like Amazon, that you never ordered.
This is also known as a Brushing Scam. But the new twist on this scam is that inside your package you will find a QR Code with instructions on how to return the item or to find out more details about the order. Because this item was something that you didn’t actually order, they are hoping that you will scan the QR code that is included in the package.
These QR codes typically take you to a phony website that may load malware on your phone, which could compromise your device, or even steal your information.
For any package return or to get more information about an order, a safer solution would be to go to the vendor’s website yourself by typing in the actual address, rather than trusting a QR coded link. Once you are on the actual vendor’s website, you can check for details on the order or how to legitimately return an item if needed.
But if this was not an item you ordered yourself, then you are not obligated to return it. And you can simply keep it or throw it away.
Users should beware of a current “Update your Browser” type scam. In this scam, cybercriminals will display a full-screen web page or pop-up window with a fake notification saying that your browser is out of date and needs to be updated. The phony page will also include a button to download the supposedly needed update.
If a user clicks on that link, they will actually install malware on their device that the cybercriminals can use to steal data or take control of that device.
When a legitimate web browser update is needed, this is typically done automatically when the browser is started. It is also important to remember to completely close and shut down your browser after each session, as well as reboot your computer on a regular basis. You can also verify if any browser updates are needed by checking the settings section in your browser.
Clemson users can contact the CCIT Support Center for additional help.
As the new semester begins, the Office of Information Security encourages all staff, faculty, and students to stay alert against email phishing scam attempts. Analyzing any email asking users to click a link or share personal information is important. Phishing attempts are often tricky because, at first glance, the cybercriminals may pose as a University source/department/office and appear real. Here are some helpful tips to remember before you click or share:
If you have questions or want to learn more about reported cybersecurity alerts, visit CCIT’s Cybersecurity website.
On August 31, 2024, the my.Clemson mobile application will no longer receive support from CCIT or be available for download from the Apple App Store or Google Play. The my.Clemson website will remain functioning, providing useful tools like the Directory, Public Safety information, and redirects to other sources of information from Academics, Athletics, and more.
For users who relied on my.Clemson for transit information, Parking and Transportation Services has recently rolled out their new solution, called Tigers Commute. This features a new Tigers Commute app, which offers up-to-the minute information on bus routes, electric charging stations and e-bike availability, ride sharing, and more. Students and employees are encouraged to utilize these new resources for mobile applications and transition away from my.Clemson.
Members of the Clemson University campus community should be aware of a forced Windows update occurring on August 16, 2024. Once prompted for update, users will have 24 hours to reboot their Windows 10 and up machines for the required safety update. Please adjust your work accordingly and continue to update your Clemson devices as required.
