March/April 2006

The newsletter for IPFW computer users Information Technology Services March-April 2006 By Joseph McCormick Manager of Client Support his spring, most Indiana counties T will observe Daylight Savings Time Data Security and Your Workstation (DST) for the first time since 1970. In 2006, DST begins at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in April (April 2) and ends at 2 option involves a reboot which With recent security incidents at a.m. on the last Sunday in October refreshes your workstation, and the (October 29). other campuses and businesses, it has next time you log in to the network, become imperative that we all take Because of modifications to the Trend OfficeScan antivirus steps to protect data accessed through GroupWise, to accommodate the software installed on your Windows our computers. Precautions should change to Daylight Savings Time, your workstation automatically updates. also be taken to protect data stored on calendar items scheduled between April Keep your workstation up-to- any portable devices such as laptops, 2 at 2:00 a.m. and October 29 at 2:00 date with vendor patches and virus disks or flash drives. Here are a few a.m. are now showing up an hour later protection by activating updates key steps that we can all do quickly to than originally scheduled. Unfortunately, promptly when you are signaled that increase security significantly. this problem was unavoidable as we they are ready. Windows XP/2000 adjusted the system to recognize Daylight users: when you see the “msg”. at the Savings time. bottom of your tool bar that says you Your cooperation is key to The only way to correct this have new updates, please click on the providing overall campus problem is to manually change your button and add your updates. data security! appointments back one hour. We do Mac users: Click on the Apple icon, apologize for the inconvenience this has select Software Updates and set up the caused and appreciate your patience and function to automatically install the First Line of Defense understanding. Similar problems are updates. being experienced by other institutions Use the password protected in Indiana that use electronic calendars. Don't Collect it or Store It screen saver. Window users: when IT Services has implemented a change your workstation is going to be on the GroupWise e-mail server which If you don't need private unattended, initiate the password has modified the time zone to “Eastern information such as social security protected screen saver as you leave, Time (GMT –05:00).” number, financial or medical rather than wait for it to pop up on its information, or even full name, then own. To do this, either press Ctrl don't collect it and don't store it on any (Continued on page 3) +Alt+Del to bring up the panel which of your directories, including the I: or allows you to Lock the workstation or O: drives. In Banner, use PIDM to press the Windows icon key and the L uniquely identify students instead of department has a Microsoft Access key to lock it immediately. Mac users: SSN when appropriate. database, this data can also be secured by the control panel provides an option to the creator of that database. set up a password protected screen Protect the Data saver. Avoid Sending Sensitive Data When you leave the office for the Through Email If some private information must day, please restart, power down or be collected, save the file as encrypted, logoff via your operating system Sensitive data should not be sent via and password protect it. Most shutdown options. This simple step email, especially off-campus. For applications, including Brio and Excel, provides some protection against departments where this is unavoidable, typically provide these options in the unauthorized use of your workstation. encrypt and password protect the data as Save As > Tools options. If your Selecting the restart or power down described above. Page 2 INFOShare This column is devoted to providing our readers with Periodically IT Services receives patches and updates time-saving techniques and short-cuts that will amaze and from our network and operating system vendors that are vital delight. to the security and function of the IPFW network and your desktop. When these patches and updates are ...instead of selecting Shut Short Cut Result distributed, it is critical that you Down, choose the option to Windows + L: Screensaver lock apply them to your workstation Install Updates and in a timely manner. To assist in Windows + M: Minimize all windows Shutdown. that goal IT Services has Windows + E: Open Windows Explorer implemented a PatchLink process. The PatchLink process will distribute the patch or update to your workstation to be Shift + Tab: Tab backwards to the previous field automatically installed. Ctrl + Shift + Highlights everything on a page End from the cursor to the end. Some important notes on how patches may be applied: Triple Click Highlights an entire paragraph If a restart (reboot) of your computer is necessary to fully implement the patch or update, a prompt will display asking if you want your workstation to restart now. You do have the option to restart at a Would you prefer to receive your copy of INFOShare as an e-mail later time; however it is very important that you do attachment or via campus mail in the print version? so at the end of business that day. Let us know your thoughts. E-mail Pam Zepp at [email protected]. Occasionally you may see an option when shutting down your computer which states “Install Updates and Shutdown.” If you should see this option, select it instead of “Shutdown.” Use this option to help GroupWise make your computer more secure before you turn it on again. With this option, Windows will install the Messenger Update updates and then automatically shut down your If you use GroupWise computer. Note: No one else can use the computer messenger and are prompted while the updates are being installed. that a new version is available, please respond Important! Do not turn off or unplug your computer while “yes” to install the update. updates are being installed. If you interrupt the update Some significant new process—during shutdown only—you could damage features have been included and are described below. files that Windows needs to operate. This option appears Chat Rooms - You can create and join chat rooms, which only if you are running Microsoft Windows XP Service allows several users to discuss a topic without leaving Pack 2 (SP2) and you turn on Automatic Updates from their workstations. the following URL: Personal History - Track messages that you have sent or received. This is especially helpful when you need to http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/ find information from a message or chat room. msupdate_keep_current.mspx Custom Online Status - Create a custom message that tells others you are online. Since updates and patches are frequently distributed by the vendors, this process will be ongoing. This system will If you are considering using GroupWise Messenger for work in conjunction with Windows updates that are the first time, it’s easily installed. Simply click Start > IPFW automatically distributed by Microsoft. If you regularly apply Icons > Email > Installs. For details on these and other Windows updates as you are notified, PatchLink will not features, click on the GroupWise Messenger Help menu. need to distribute those same updates to your workstation. INFOShare Page 3 Use IPFW Portal For Reliable Password Synchronization Have you ever considered how many systems require your IPFW user name and password each day? Even if you only log into your computer and e-mail, they represent two entirely different systems requiring password synchronization. Add a few more systems such as Confirm... Helmke Library or WebCT resources and the complexity of Your Windows password will expire in 12 day(s). Do you want to change± it now? synchronizing all those systems boggles the mind. As the day Yes No approaches for your password to expire, (your password expires every 182 days), remember to change your password through my.ipfw portal. Although you may see a warning at a logon prompt when starting your computer saying that your password has expired, do not change your password at this location. Just click “No” when told that your password is expiring and log in to the network. You can then open a browser, head to http://my.ipfw.edu and click on “change password.” Change Your Daylight Savings Time (Continued from page 1) Password at All networked, campus-wide workstation clocks were http://my.ipfw automatically changed by ITS to reflect the new time zone setting. 1. Log into http://my.IPFW with your current password. Appointments created prior to March 11 which appear in 2. Click Personal Info. your calendar anytime between April 2 and October 29 will 3. Click Change Password and read the requirements. be 1 hour off. Appointments created after March 11 will not have this 4. Enter the old password. issue. 5. Carefully input your new password in the two remaining fields for new password and confirm password. The following steps should be taken in order to correct the DST discrepancy. 6. Click the Process My Request button. We recommend that you print a hard copy of your calendar 7. If you are not prompted that your password has been from April through October to avoid confusion. changed, please call the Help Desk. Note: you can only change appointments that you posted or 8. If your password has expired and you have run out of grace sent. logins, please call the Help Desk at (260) 481-6030 to have your number of grace logins increased.

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