Solution for latest RansomWare Attack (WannaCry)

The latest RansomWare attack known as WannaCry impacts Windows machines that are not up to date. 

To prevent your personal Windows machine from getting impacted, please turn off the Windows feature named:

SMB 1.0/CIFS FILE SHARING SUPPORT. 

1. Click on the Search option and search for "Windows Features" and you will see the result as "Turn Windows Feature on or off"

2. Upon clicking the option, the following screen will be prompted:

3. Untick the box and click "OK"

Please Note:  TURNING THIS FEATURE OFF WILL MAKE YOUR COMPUTER RESTART.

To avoid this virus the best practice would be to follow these instructions for Manhattan College Windows PC's and personal Windows PC's.

Ransomware Alert - How to Stay Safe

A major ransomware cyber attack has been moving through european countries overnight.  The attack spreads through a combination of phishing and vulnerable unpatched Windows systems.

A number of protections are already in place for important JasperNet services such as Moodle and Self-Service, however, it's important to be vigilant when receiving suspicious or unsolicited messages.  While the spread of the attack has slowed, there is an expectation that the same or similar attack will eventually resume.

What is Ransomware?
In a nutshell, ransomware is a cyber attack that "locks" files on your computer (using encryption) and extorts a ransom payment from the victim to the attacker to unlock (unencrypt) the files.

To read more about this cyber attack, see the link below to Google News:
https://news.google.com/news/section?cf=all&hl=en&pz=1&ned=us&q=Ransomware&ict=clu_top

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.