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Archive: November 2, 2005 |
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Security and
Internet Services
Security home |
SPAM AND VIRUS STATS
In October, 2005 central e-mail spam controls blocked 10,861,175
messages. Anti-virus controls blocked an additional 29,307 messages.
STORING PRIVATE UNIVERSITY DATA: RISK ASSESSMENT
Do you frequently or occasionally store private University data,
such as patient health information, legally protected student data,
and credit card information? If yes, review the risk assessment
questions on Safecomputing: http://safecomputing.umn.edu/safepractices/riskassess.html.
FCC SAFETY NET WEBSITE
A new website called "OnGuard Online: Your Safety Net"
has been set up by the Federal Trade Commission to provide information
to consumers about Internet fraud, securing computers, and protecting
personal information. See http://onguardonline.gov.
BOT HERDER SUSPECTS NABED BY DUTCH POLICE
Did you know? "Botnets are considered one of the most serious
security threats on the Internet. These botnets are typically rented
out to relay spam and launch phishing scams, which attempt to steal
sensitive personal data for fraud. Botnets have also been used in
blackmail schemes against targeted online businesses." See
October 10, 2005 news items from CNET news.com: http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,39276456,00.htm.
JUSTICE! HACKERS JAILED
United Kingdom hackers were jailed for global computer worm. See
October 7, 2005 Computerworld story: http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2005/0,4814,105247,00.html.
WEB DEFACER SENTENCED, FACING DEPORTATION
An October 26, 2005 SecurityFocus news brief states: "The U.S.
sentencing guidelines takes into account his prior criminal history
and the financial impact of the crime." See http://www.securityfocus.com/print/news/11350.
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Network and Telecommunication
Services
NTS home |
DNS SERVICES MOVE ON NOV 10
The network authoritative Domain Name Service (DNS) servers will
be upgraded and moved to a new class of hardware to prepare for
the eventual deployment of DNS by IP Anycast. Expect no system outage;
this move is done as an overlay with the existing server. NTS is
moving authoritative and cache name services (128.101.101.1, and
9 and 134.84.84.84 respectively) in preparation for a split of authoritative
and cache services.
ABOUT CALEA, A FEDERAL ACT
The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) is
a Federal Act, passed in 1994, requiring providers of commercial
voice services to engineer their networks to assist law enforcement
agencies in executing wiretap orders. (2004 court approvals for
wiretaps across the country: 1,712 regular court approvals; 1,754
approvals from Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.)
CALEA AND ISPS: NEW COMPLIANCE BY 2007
In August, 2005, in response to a request by law enforcement, the
FCC voted to extend CALEA to include Internet Service Providers
(ISPs). Under this new revision, colleges and universities must
comply with VoIP (Voice over IP) from and to the public internet
services. Full compliance with this act is required by May, 2007.
CALEA AND THE U OF M
The recent Twin Cities campus network upgrade makes it easier to
comply with the new FCC ruling. Now all NTS managed networks across
campus have the same network equipment and are state of the art.
A viable solution and response to law enforcement inquiries is being
reviewed by NTS design and engineering staff.
NETWORK UPGRADE ON NOV 12
The next scheduled network upgrade is on November 12, at 6:00 AM
for a telephone rewiring upgrade affecting Lyons-MTRF, CMRR, Integrated
Waste, Buckeye Lot, and TransitWay.
NETWORK OUTAGES AND UPGRADES: KEEP UP TO DATE
NTS e-mails notifications for any network or telephone outage on
campus as soon as they occur. Notices are also e-mailed in advance
of prescheduled upgrades or outages. These notices are sent to subscribers
who have registered with NTS. Sign up at https://adcsweb.micro.umn.edu/notification/index.asp.
SECURITY, DIVERSITY, REDUNDANCY
NTS is completing the first phase of installing more fiber cable
on campus to provide for security, diversity, and redundancy for
business continuation on the Twin Cities campus. The new cabling
will add fiber to the interconnected campus via the Como Avenue
and Printing Services area and the St. Paul Campus. The project
is scheduled to end in the summer of 2006.
GOPHER GIGANET: FINAL CELEBRATION
On October 12 the final celebration of the Gopher GigaNet completion
was shared with campus network administrators and all staff and
faculty who assisted NTS with the entire project - from planning
to installations. All were given a presentation of future services
NTS is preparing. The Power Point presentations will be here: http://www.umn.edu/nts/projects.
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Academic and
Distributed
Computing
Services
ADCS home |
RUN WINDOWS UPDATE IMMEDIATELY
We expect to see a fast-spreading worm similar to Blaster. Until
updated, computers running Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows
Server 2003 are vulnerable to an attack that could allow someone
to take control of the computer, without the user's knowledge, via
the Internet.
SSL: END OF NOVEMBER DEADLINE
We're nearly there. By the end of November all central e-mail accounts
will be moved to the secure servers! If you're not using SSL, convert
now. Generally, converting is simple: check a few boxes and type
a number or two in your e-mail program's settings area. Troubleshooting
assistance is available from 1-HELP (612-301-4357) and http://www.umn.edu/securecom.
MAC OS 10.4 AND SYMANTEC ANTIVIRUS
Symantec AntiVirus 10.0 for Mac OS X is available for use on computers
owned by the University and for personal use with one restriction.
For their personal machines current students, staff, and faculty
can use either Symantec AntiVirus for Windows or Symantec (Norton)
AntiVirus for the Macintosh. See http://www.umn.edu/adcs/software/security.
GOT WORMS? ETHERNET ACCESS TURNED OFF?
If you cannot access the Internet because your computer is infected,
you must clear the infections from your machine to regain access.
Today's infections can be complex. If you have one virus or worm,
you probably have several; consider reformatting and reinstalling.
More information on Safecomputing: http://safecomputing.umn.edu.
NEW COURSE: WEBCT VISTA COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS
Looking for ways to make teaching with WebCT Vista more interactive?
Vista has several tools for setting up online communication between
yourself and your class members, or between class members themselves.
This new course will teach faculty and course designers how to use
announcements, the calendar, discussions, mail, chat, and the whiteboard.
See http://uttc.umn.edu.
BRAND NEW: LEARNING BYTES EXCEL COURSES
Is your data boring? Confusing? Impenetrable? Are you having trouble
simply manipulating data in Excel? If you answered yes to any of
these questions, then check out two of our new Learning Bytes seminars
for Excel 2003: Chart Fun-damentals and Data - From Here to There.
In the process, pick up keyboard shortcuts and mouse maneuvers.
See http://uttc.umn.edu.
BRAND NEW: LEARNING BYTES POWERPOINT COURSE
Have you ever fumbled with PowerPoint when giving a presentation?
Then this mini-course is for you! Learn how to use PowerPoint's
built-in tools for running a more effective presentation. When you're
up in front of a crowd, knowledge is confidence. See http://uttc.umn.edu.
BRAND NEW: LEARNING BYTES WORD COURSE
Are you spending too much time formatting and reformatting Microsoft
Word documents? Frustrated? Bored? Drastically reduce the amount
of time it takes to format documents by using Styles. Never heard
of 'em? This class is for you! See http://uttc.umn.edu.
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Digital
Media
Center
DMC home |
NOV 6 TV SHOW: TECH TALK SEASON
4 BEGINS
Learn about things like home networking, blogs, and robotics, and
see digital cameras, portable computing devices, and some of the
other newest and coolest technological gadgets available. Watch
Tech Talk on Sunday nights at 9:00 p.m. on TPT channel 17. See http://techtalk.umn.edu/schedule/.
DEC 7 SEMINAR: SHAPE AND SUPPORT LEARNING COMMUNITIES
In the "Using Technology to Shape and Support Learning Communities"
seminar, panelists will discuss how technology can be used to facilitate
the community-building process, from conducting needs analyses,
to planning activities, to assessing student work: DEC 7, NOON-1:30
PM, 402 WALTER. The seminar also will be broadcast online. See http://dmc.umn.edu/series/fall05.shtml#3.
DEC 8 MEETING: EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGISTS FORUM
Hear how advanced Vista developers use SCORM to record grades of
Flash modules and seamlessly integrate multimedia into their course
sites: DEC 8, 3-4:30 PM, 402 WALTER. See http://dmc.umn.edu/etf/schedule05.shtml#2.
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The
URL of this document is http://umtechbrief.umn.edu/05/tb1105/tb1105.html
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