Windows 10 Upgrade Scam Warning

According to this blog post and others like it.  There are malicious emails circulating masquerading as invitations to upgrade to Windows 10.  Please note that the safest way to upgrade to Windows 10 is through Windows Update.  We have not received reports of Manhattan College accounts receiving these emails.  We are proactively warning users to be cautious should they receive and email as described in this blog post.

Heartbleed Bug

The following is an update to the Manhattan College community regarding the recently discovered Heartbleed software bug - http://heartbleed.com/

ITS has been working with our software vendors to investigate our exposure to the recently identified Heartbleed bug that affects OpenSSL software - one of the most common cryptographic libraries used to secure Internet communications such as secure websites (via https://) and VPNs.

The majority of our "production" systems such as www.manhattan.edu, Banner, self-service, SSO, Moodle, etc were never vulnerable to the flaw based on the version of software installed on these systems.  Some "test" systems with limited access were vulnerable, but patched by Tuesday AM.  Additionally, ITS is taking preventative measures to update software and configurations on all systems running OpenSSL cryptographic software as a precaution.


What do I need to do?  Be aware of scams!

In the coming days, you may be notified by various services related to your social media, banking, or other accounts potentially affected by the Heartbleed bug.  Take these notifications seriously and consider changing your password on these services.   Currently, no action is required for your JasperNet account.  If this changes, the campus community will be notified.

Be aware of scams!  With the legitimate notices will come "phishing" scams from illegitimate sources asking for your username, password and/or other personal information.  ALWAYS verify the legitimacy of these types of messages and NEVER give your password or personal information unless you are certain that you are dealing with a trusted service.  Tips on how to avoid phishing scams can be found here:  http://www.phishing.org/scams/prevent-phishing/

Gmail Account Hacks and Checking Account Activity

"Last account activity", a very useful feature of Google mail, shows you information about recent activity with your account. This information is extremely useful for detecting or verifying unauthorized access to your email account. Critical information about each time you account was accessed, including time and IP address, is available with "last account activity".

Click here for detailed instructions on accessing and using the information made available by "last account activity".

Remember, Manhattan College ITS will never ask for your password or other personal information via email. Messages requesting such information are fraudulent and should be deleted.  If you detect suspicious activity in your email account you should change your password immediately at https://start.manhattan.edu/changepassword/login.  We recommend changing your password periodically to prevent fraudulent activity.