Dear Campus Community,

As the holidays approach, Information Technology Services (ITS) is providing the following reminders to help protect your personal information and University data:

• Lock away any documents or devices with sensitive information before leaving your campus or home workspace for the holidays.
• Vehicle break-ins are more frequent this time of year. Don’t leave phones, computers, or other valuables in your car.
• Be suspicious of promises of easy money: gift cards, lottery winnings, job opportunities, etc. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Scammers use fear and anxiety to trigger impulsive reactions. Stop and think before responding to any email, call, or text.
• Don’t click unexpected links or attachments. Use trusted websites or apps to view account or order information.
• Beware of requests for personal or account information, especially from unknown sources. ITS will never ask for your password.
• If you see a security alert pop-up window in your browser or desktop, do not call the number given or click any link. It’s likely a scam, and your device could be infected with malware. Call the ITS Service Desk immediately at 901.678.8888.
• For more tips on keeping your personal and University data safe, visit our IT Security Phishing and Best Practices web pages.

Forward suspicious emails to abuse@memphis.edu, and report any lost devices or unusual account activity — such as unexpected Duo prompts — to the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Carolyn Sue Hull-Toye, Ed.D.

Assistant Chief Information Officer

Dear Campus Community,

Information Technology Services (ITS) is providing the following alert to warn against scam attempts targeting UofM email accounts, particularly students.

If you receive an unsolicited employment opportunity at the UofM via email, this is likely a scam. Students can check for student employment and graduate assistant positions at TigerLink: memphis.edu/careerservices/tigerlink.php. Official offers of employment from the University for these positions are only done via e-contract, which will require valid University credentials to access.

University officials will not use publicly available email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com) to offer employment or conduct University business. If the sending email address does not end with memphis.edu, it should be treated with caution. Any UofM department sending emails via a third-party vendor should take steps to ensure recipients can verify their legitimacy before responding or clicking links.

 If you receive an unexpected message that appears to be from a University official asking for personal or financial information, follow up with a phone call to the appropriate office to confirm the authenticity of the request before responding. Links that do not direct you to the memphis.edu domain should not be clicked before they have been verified. Never open attachments from unfamiliar senders. 

If you receive any email message that asks you to take a questionable action or has a suspicious attachment, please report the message by forwarding the email to abuse@memphis.edu or calling the ITS Service Desk at 901.678.8888. For more information about avoiding job scams, visit our Current Security Alerts webpage. 

Regards,

Karen Bell
Interim Chief Information Officer

Dear Colleagues,

As shared in previous emails, ITS is increasing the cadence of software updates in response to vendor-required updates and security patches. Some software updates require system restarts. Please restart systems and apply software patches promptly to ensure compliance with University policy and the security of campus infrastructure. In accordance with University policy, ITS staff will follow up with individuals to assist with securing their devices.

Security patches and updates are released monthly. Systems must be restarted/rebooted at least monthly. ITS recommends weekly manual restarts to ensure the best security. Browsers and Microsoft Office application updates should be applied when available. Please visit our Updating Your Devices webpage for information on how to apply updates to University software and systems.

ITS is monitoring compliance in the application of updates and patches. We are identifying procedures that will force system restarts if necessary.

Thank you for understanding and for your support in our efforts to protect the University infrastructure.

For more information about rebooting your device and other best practices, visit the IT Security Policies and Guidelines webpage. If you need assistance with this or any other technology needs, contact the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Regards,

Karen Bell

Interim Chief Information Officer

Dear Campus Community,

Information Technology Services (ITS) extends a warm welcome to new and returning students, faculty, and staff. Here’s a quick overview of a few things we’d like you to pay close attention to in order to better protect yourself and your information online:

• ITS recommends regularly reviewing IT Security Policies and Guidelines (memphis.edu/its/security/policies-guidelines.php) as well as Guidelines for Storage of University Electronic Data (memphis.edu/its/security/data-storage-guidelines.php) for appropriate storage services and locations for all classifications of University data.
• Be vigilant about phishing and other email scams, especially gift card, financial, or employment scams that sound too good to be true. Visit memphis.edu/its/security/phishing.php for more information on how to protect yourself from phishing. Should you ever receive a suspicious email, please forward it to abuse@memphis.edu for analysis.
• It is a violation of the IT6005 – Data Security Policy to share University passwords. University personnel will never ask for your University password. For more information and to review tips for protecting your personal information, visit memphis.edu/its/security.
• Use caution with USB devices of unknown origin, as these devices may be used to install malicious software on your computer. See our phishing and scams page for more information.

For technical assistance, visit umhelpdesk.memphis.edu to submit requests online, call 901.678.8888 for phone assistance, or email umtech@memphis.edu.

Regards,

Karen Bell, Interim CIO, Associate CIO

Dear Campus Community,

ITS recommends manually restarting or shutting down your computer and other devices at least once per week.

Software and hardware vendors are constantly identifying security vulnerabilities within their products and the pace at which vendors release security updates has increased. In response to the changing security landscape, ITS (Information Technology Services) is quickening our cadence for software updates and security patches.

Regularly checking for new browser versions and other app updates — and enabling automatic updates where available — is an important first step to ensuring system security. Rebooting your system often is equally necessary to protect your digital assets.

ITS recommends manually restarting or shutting down your computer and other devices at least once per week. Rebooting in this way allows updates to software, hardware and peripherals to complete their installation and be applied to your system. While Windows or macOS updates might include a restart reminder, other pending updates could be awaiting a reboot without such notice. Shutting down your computer also resets the system, often resolving slowdowns or other performance issues.

For more information about rebooting your device and other best practices, visit the IT Security Policies and Guidelines page on our website. If you need assistance with this or any other technology need, contact the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Regards,
Robert Jackson, EdD
Chief Information Officer

Dear Campus Community,

On July 5, 2023, the UofM will be phasing out the phone call option for Duo MFA. While this option is not currently available to all users, those who do use phone call verification will need to choose a new method of authentication. For all other users, no action is necessary. Text (SMS) verification will remain an option for those who have it now.

The easiest and most secure authentication method is the free Duo mobile app, available in the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android) for your smartphone or tablet. With a simple tap on a push notification, you can approve or deny a Duo request. Alternatively, the app can provide passcodes to allow for secure login when cell service or Wi-Fi is unavailable.

The app also allows you to see the geographic origin and browser of a request, enabling you to quickly identify any unexpected attempts to access your account. The app can be installed on multiple devices for your convenience.

Users who choose not to use the mobile app may request a physical Duo token to generate a passcode for each verification request. As previously communicated, faculty and staff can request tokens charged to their departments, and students may purchase tokens via this form.

Answers to common Duo questions and full documentation can be found on our website at memphis.edu/duo. If you need further assistance or have questions, contact the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Regards,

Robert Jackson, EdD
Chief Information Officer

Dear Colleagues,

The telephone system upgrade to RingCentral is underway and on schedule. RingCentral is deployed for all ITS phone extensions, Physical Plant phone extensions, and the ITS Service Desk call center. The Administration Building is scheduled for migration this month.

During the transition, 4-digit dialing for campus extensions will be affected. When dialing within the phone systems, 4-digit dialing is available and works as expected. This includes RingCentral extension to RingCentral extension or Avaya PBX extension to Avaya PBX extension. Dialing 4 digits between separate phone systems is not available.

• If your phone extension has been migrated to RingCentral, dialing the full 10-digit number (901.678.8888) is required to reach a campus phone extension that is on the Avaya PBX system. 
• If your phone is still on the Avaya PBX system, 9 plus the 7-digit number is required to reach a campus phone extension that is on the RingCentral unified communication system.

Please check the RingCentral website for the most current information about the project, including the building schedule on the Timeline page. Remember that building dates are tentative and subject to change. Contact ringcentral@memphis.edu for questions related to the project.

If you need assistance with RingCentral, please contact the ITS Service Desk at 901.678.8888 or umtech@memphis.edu.

Best regards,

Karen Bell

Associate CIO
Information Technology Services

Dear Campus Community,

One of the best and easiest precautions to keep your computer safe is making sure your web browser is up to date. Companies frequently release updates for their browsers to address potential vulnerabilities and protect users from malicious online attacks.

We have created a step-by-step guide for updating the most popular browsers. Visit that page and select your preferred application to see detailed instructions. Further guidance can be found at the support link provided for each individual browser.

While most browsers are set to update automatically by default, we recommend manually checking for new updates at least once per month to ensure you have the latest version.

As always, remember to check the URLs of links before clicking, be wary ofdownloading files from unfamiliar sources and immediately report any suspicious activity on your device or account. Thank you for being cautious online and helping to secure our community’s digital landscape.

For assistance with this or any technology resources, contact the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Regards,
Robert Jackson, EdD
Chief Information Officer

Dear Campus Community,

Duo Security is updating its two-factor authentication interface to a more streamlined experience, known as the Universal Prompt (UP). The UofM will implement this change for all users on May 5, 2023. While no action is necessary for most users, you can read more details about this update on our website.

In addition to design updates, here are some important changes to note:

• The Universal Prompt (UP) automatically initiates authentication at login. The first time you use the UP, it will default to mobile app push, if available. You can select another method or device via the “other options” link. Duo will remember your choice for future logins.
• Users will now be redirected to a Duo domain during verification. The URL will change to a Duo Security domain address, then send users to the intended web service after authentication. This all happens within the same browser window.
• Users will now manage Duo-enabled devices via the UP device management menu. This can be accessed via the “other options” link in the authentication window.

A full description of the UP, including screenshots and walkthroughs, can be found in Duo’s Universal Prompt Guide.

In addition to this update, the UofM will be phasing out phone calls for authentication starting July 5, 2023. Users currently using the call option to verify their identities via Duo will need to choose a new method of authentication. We will be contacting these users with further information soon.

Answers to common Duo questions can be found at memphis.edu/duo. If you need further assistance or have questions, contact the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Regards,
Robert Jackson, Ed.D.
Chief Information Officer