Information Technology Announcements

According to news reports, tens of thousands of Windows computers throughout the world have fallen victim to a ransomware worm (a type of computer virus) that encrypts files and documents and then demands a payment for the decryption key.

How the worm spreads is not yet clear but you should be very careful about visiting new websites and opening emails.  If your Windows computer is up to date with the latest updates from Microsoft then you are safe from this worm.

Because some Amherst College email accounts were recently phished and used to send spam, a number of email services are rejecting all emails sent from any Amherst College email address. If you get a bounce message after sending to an email address that you know is good, you've likely just bumped up against this problem.

Such blocks normally last about a week, and when IT becomes aware of such a block we try to resolve it immediately. Ultimately, however, the decision to lift such a block is out of our hands.

Starting on Thursday, May 31, the familiar, purple single sign-on (SSO) web page will look slightly different. The modification to the look and feel is an expected change and is not indicative of a phishing attempt. The change modernizes the single sign-on page to include the new visual identity for Amherst College, but the functionality of the page remains the same. Please contact us at AskIT@amherst.edu, if you have any questions or concerns.

Desktop View

The following was one of two phishing emails that together compromised the accounts of over 80 Amherst users, making a total of over 100 accounts compromised in the past week.

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Antonella Dominguez ‘18 and Megan Motyka each won an iPad for reporting phishing attacks directed at college email addresses last semester. You could win, too!

Whenever you detect a phishing attempt, or if an email seems strange, simply forward the message to phishing@amherst.edu for a chance to win a special prize.

More information: http://www.amherst.edu/go/phish

Scammers are using the message below or a variation in an attempt to steal your Amherst login credentials. Do not reply to the message. Most importantly, do not click the SIGN IN HERE link. 

If you have clicked the link and entered your Amherst username and password, try to change your Amherst password immediately. If you can't change your password, contact AskIT.

Security researchers have recently identified significant security flaws, called Meltdown and Spectre, that affect all computer processors embedded in computers, phones, and tablets. For detailed information about these flaws and how to protect your computing devices, please visit the NY Times: https://nyti.ms/2E9IDWa. As described in the article, please check for software updates and apply them as they become available.

The start of tax season is also the start of phishing season, as bad actors try more vigorously to steal login credentials, a key to obtaining employee W2s online. Sensitive personal data, W2 forms, and bank routing information have been compromised recently at peer institutions. We want to take a moment to remind everyone to be mindful of these risks and to be sure that login requests they receive are legitimate. Some simple rules of thumb include:

Computers and computing devices such as smart phones and tables impact negatively our environment in two distinct ways: in the the power they consume and in the waste they produce when we discard them. 

Student and faculty requests for support for virtual reality (VR) have increased over the last two years. Interested in finding out first-hand what VR looks – and feels – like?  Stop by the lobby of Frost Library or 112 SMudd to see a demo of VR equipment.  It’s a great opportunity to experience VR for yourself and consider its application in your academic work.  Please stop by during the dates and times listed below: 

Pioneer Training is offering Excel-apalooza -  a full day of workshops on Microsoft Excel Wednesday November 8, 2017 at the UMass Center in Tower Square in Springfield.

It’s the first time Pioneer Training is working with the UMass Center, and they are excited about using the state-of-the-art computer lab for this event. Participants will get discount parking in Tower Square for $5 for the day.

We are strengthening the security of our services and want to provide detailed information since some of the changes will impact the login experience to some Amherst web sites. Starting on Thursday, September 28, the familiar, purple single sign-on (SSO) web page will briefly show a white box that states “Logging you in…” immediately after each successful login. The message may flash for a second or less, is expected behavior and is not indicative of a phishing attempt. 

Below is a screen capture of what you may see for a second or less after successfull login:

Apple plans to release the latest version of their OS for iPads and iPhones, iOS 11, very soon. Many mobile apps that currently run on iOS 10, known as 32-bit applications, will no longer work on iOS 11 as Apple is making a departure from that class of apps with their latest update. Before you upgrade, you can determine if you use any such apps, and you may decide not to upgrade until you find an appropriate replacement. To determine if you use 32-bit apps, open Settings, then tap General > About > Applications. If you use 32-bit apps, you will see a list of those apps.