IRT News
Accounts and Computer Services Information for Graduating Students
Posted: June, 2013
Soon you will be receiving your hard-earned Drexel degree. We wish you all the best in your new ventures in life. At the same time, we want to call to your attention the changes that will take place this summer with your computer account and, especially, some of the continuing computing services that Drexel's Office of Information Resources and Technology (IRT) offers you.
Details of IRT services for alumni are given at drexel.edu/IRT/NewAlumni. Some key points:
- Drexel domain accounts close approximately 30 days after graduation
- DrexelOne, full email service, and dunx1 accounts stay open for up to two years after graduation (unless you request they be closed sooner)
- At account closing, you can request long-term email forwarding for your userid and official addresses
- LinkEdu accounts remain open indefinitely
Please be sure to keep track of your passwords. Once you cease to be an active student, it will be difficult for IRT to authenticate your identity in order to help you reset your password.
These services allow you to continue to use computing in a familiar environment until you are more settled in your life. They also permit you to continue using the same email address for an extended period of time without having frequently to notify long lists of family, friends, and potential employers with changes in how to contact you.
We hope these services will be useful to you as you begin new assignments and assume new obligations. If you have any questions, send an email to accounts@drexel.edu or call 215-895-2020. All good luck for the future.
P.S. For those of you with a continuing active role at Drexel (you are going on for an advanced degree, you are an employee, teaching, etc.), your computer account privileges continue as appropriate.
DrexelConnect
Posted: May, 2013
The newly designed central login service has been named DrexelConnect. When you access a service that uses central authentication, such as DrexelOne, Learn or Photo Class List, you will notice a new look to the login page. But rest assured, you're in the right place, and can login as normal!
Watch Out for Phishing Scams!
Posted: April, 2013
Beginning of term means new attempts by scammers to compromise your computer accounts. Don’t fall for ANY email telling you to upgrade/verify your account, send money, click a link, or provide sensitive information. Even if the message appears to come from Drexel, "Webmail/Tech Support," your bank, or any other legitimate-sounding organization. These messages are invariably SCAMS.
When trying to identify a scam message, look for typos, outrageous sums of money, garbled links (or links that don’t look legitimate), ANYTHING to do with logins or passwords or bank accounts, improper capitalization, bad grammar, and bad punctuation in the message body. Report phishing scams to spamreport@drexel.edu.
To see more examples of fraudulent emails, visit the Scam Gallery on IRT's Web site. General phishing and virus prevention tips can also be found on IRT's Web site.
If you are ever unsure whether or not an email is a scam, contact the IRT Help Desk first for advice: consult@drexel.edu or 215-895-2020.
The Next DrexelOne
Posted: March, 2013
On March 28, IRT upgraded the DrexelOne portal with improved functionality, organization, and appearance. With this upgrade also comes Central Authentication Service, or the new Drexel Login. It does what single sign-on performs for you, to log you into any applications which use that service.
ListServ Upgraded to Version 16
Posted: March, 2013
On the morning of March 26th, the Mass Mailing team upgraded ListServ from version 15.5 to version 16. The upgrade was finished apparently without issue. However, if you notice any problems while using or managing your lists, please let the Mass Mailing team know at mailreq@drexel.edu. More information about version 16 can be found on the IRT Web site.
Java 7 Update
Posted: March, 2013
A few weeks have passed since we recommended that users roll back to the latest version of Java 6 or disable Java entirely. Oracle has now announced end-of-support for Java 6, and in an attempt to plug Java 7's security holes, it has released Update 17.
Some users might still need to use Java 6 for compatibility reasons, and should ensure they have at least Update 43 installed. We recommend that other users, however, update Java to 7.17 and ensure that it remains up-to-date.
iOS 6.1 Exchange Refresh Bug
Posted: March, 2013
Apple's iOS 6.1 update on iPhones/iPads includes a bug that causes the device to constantly try to refresh / sync the Exchange account. The suggested work around is to disable and re-enable the Exchange account calendar sync.
Instructions provided in AskDrexel.
Update: iOS update 6.1.2 will also fix this bug, so be sure to update your devices to the most current iOS versions.
New PHISHING Scams
Posted: February, 2013
Drexel email users are reporting increased PHISHING activity in the form of warnings that accounts are compromised or about to expire unless you immediately click a provided link. Beware of these fraudulent emails. IRT will not communicate to users in this way if the conditions described were true.
DO NOT respond nor click any provided links.
MS Office 2013
Posted: February, 2013
Microsoft has released Office 2013 to the public. Here are some things you should know about it.
Java 1.7 Zero-Day Security Vulnerability
Posted: January, 2013
The US Computer Emergency Readiness Team suggests disabling Java in all browsers. For services that require Java 1.6 or lower, only start them from Internet Explorer with Java 1.6 installed. More information is in January's Tech Update.
AnyConnect VPN Update in Beta
Posted: January, 2013
IRT is currently testing an update for the VPN that works with Windows 8. IRT encourages the Drexel community to test this update (especially if you are using Windows 8) at http://vpntest.drexel.edu.
January is Data Privacy Month
Posted: January, 2013
In our online world, data is free flowing. All of us need to remain vigilant and protective of the personal and private data others have entrusted to us. Being a good digital citizen means being a good steward of data. Review data privacy tips from StaySafeOnline.org
-- Keep a clean and protected machine
-- Make passwords long and strong
-- Think before acting on web invitations
-- Back up valuable work
Beware of Tainted Search Engine Results
Posted: January, 2013
According to an article at CBS Local, scammers are inserting infected links into otherwise legitimate search engine results. These links install "ransomware" that demands money for a fake anti-virus program and freezes the computer until the user pays up. DO NOT pay them! If your computer is infected, first contact the IRT Help Desk at 215-895-2020 for advice.
To avoid infection, follow these basic tips:
- Hover over the links for your search results before clicking. If the URLs end in something other than .com, .net, .org, or .gov, (e.g. something like .cx or .tf), don't click the link.
- If the result's descriptive text is garbled, don't click the link.
- If anything looks "off" about the link or descriptive text for the result, don't click the link.
Spam Prevention Measures
Posted: January, 2013
To help prevent service disruption for our users, Drexel will be enforcing on @drexel.edu accounts a temporary send limit for emailing external addresses. It is intended to catch compromised accounts that are sending large amounts of spam. Most users on the Drexel domain will not be affected. See more in the
Tech Update.
New Phishing Scam: "Mystery Shopper"
Posted: November, 2012
Users beware: a "Mystery Shopper" email SCAM has surfaced and is making its rounds. This holiday shopping season is prime time for scam artists to strike. Be very aware of unsolicited invitations to purchase goods or participate in "paid" surveys and shopping sprees. If you receive or have already received an email like this, DELETE it immediately. More information about this "Mystery Shopper" scam can also be found on the
Federal Trade Commission's Web site.
These emails are fraudulent. DO NOT respond to them, DO NOT provide them with any of your personal information! If you receive any sort of unsolicited email that asks for usernames, addresses, account numbers, or other such sensitive personal information, delete it immediately, unanswered. Don't click any links or open any attachments these emails provide, either. These messages are always 100% SCAMS.
Drexel IRT is taking measures to block the message and message sender. However, please note that some scam/phishing messages might slip through, especially as they evolve to counter our blocking measures.
Always treat every email you receive with caution. If you see an email that you think is a scam, you can notify IRT at spamreport@drexel.edu. To see more examples of fraudulent emails, see the Scam Gallery on IRT's Web site. General phishing and virus prevention tips can also be found on IRT's Web site.
If you are ever unsure whether or not an email is a scam, contact the IRT Help Desk first for advice: consult@drexel.edu or 215-895-2020.
Windows RT Won't Connect to VPN
Posted: November, 2012
If you use the AnyConnect VPN to login to Drexel services from off-campus, note that a Windows RT device will not connect to the VPN. At this time, IRT does not recommend updating to Windows 8 or Windows RT.
iMac Hard Drive Replacements
Posted: November, 2012
Apple has announced that the 1 TB Seagate hard drives included in 21.5" and 27" iMac systems are defective and could fail. The affected systems were sold between October 2009 and July 2011. If you have an affected machine, you can bring it to The Computer Fixer (basement of the Korman Center) to have the hard drive replaced free of charge (data transfers and data recovery services will have applicable fees). Or, you can deal with Apple directly via one of the following options:
- Apple Retail Store - Set up an appointment with a Genius.
- Apple Authorized Service Provider - Find one here.
- Apple Technical Support - Contact them for local service options.
Hard drives can be replaced free of charge either three years from the purchase date of the machine, or by April 12, 2013, whichever period provides longer coverage.
See IRT's Web site for more information about The Computer Fixer. If you have any questions, please contact the IRT Help Desk at consult@drexel.edu or 215-895-2020.
Outlook/Exchange Upgrade
Posted: October, 2012
This morning, October 23, IRT upgraded Exchange mail service to Exchange 2010. This upgrade will bring new features, better security, additional redundancy, and larger mailbox quotas. User mailboxes will be migrated slowly over the next few months to the new server. What you might notice right away:
- a new look for the login page for exchangeweb.drexel.edu
- possible interruption synching mail or calendars on your smartphone
Some smartphones will seamlessly re-synchronize email, contacts, and calendars with the new server. However, older phones and some mobile iOS devices might stop synchronizing with the Exchange server until a manual reconfiguration is made to reestablish the link.
- If your phone is not synchronizing with Exchange, you will need to change the server name on your phone to legacy.drexel.edu.
- Apple Mail and Entourage mail clients on Macintosh will need the server name changed to legacy.drexel.edu.
No change is needed if you are receiving email on your smartphone as normal.
If you have any questions, or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the IRT Help Desk at 215-895-2020 or consult@drexel.edu.
Virus/Phishing Protection and Prevention
Posted: October, 2012
Malicious individuals are constantly developing new viruses and phishing schemes. Computer users should remain vigilant and follow basic safety precautions to keep their computers free from infection and prevent theft of personal information (though IRT does filter incoming and outgoing mail for suspected phishing scams and potential viruses). Here are some tips to prevent you (and your computer) from falling victim to a phishing scheme or a virus:
- NEVER open an attachment to an email that appears to be spam or that is sent from an unknown source. Email attachments can contain trojan viruses or install malware that can steal your personal information or reduce computer functionality.
- Even messages from a known source (such as @drexel.edu) can be a scam. Scammers can spoof legitimate addresses to make messages appear to come from someone you know, which is why all emails should be read with a healthy dose of caution. Basic rule of thumb: if you weren’t expecting to receive the message, or it’s from someone or some organization you don’t know, don’t click any links, open any attachments, and in all instances NEVER provide sensitive personal information or logins.
- Even worse, the scammer can tailor the scam message to YOU personally, especially if you post public or easily obtainable details about yourself and your activities online (i.e. via social networking). Make your personal information/social statuses/contacts etc. private or friends-only, or refrain altogether from posting information such as location, home addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and…
- NEVER EVER give out your passwords to anyone—not friends, not relatives, and not even members of the IRT staff. And remember that legitimate organizations will never ask for your login credentials over the phone, through email, or any other method. That information is for you to know, and you alone.
- Don’t blindly click on hyperlinks, particularly in emails of unknown origin. A common scam is to redirect a legitimate link to a Web page that installs a trojan or other malware. Always check URLs by hovering over the link to see if the underlying URL matches the one displayed in the body of the email.
- As viruses change, so does the software needed to protect you from them. Keep your anti-virus software up-to-date with the latest updates and virus definitions by installing Sophos Endpoint Protection, which is available for PC and Mac at https://software.drexel.edu.
- Scan your computer at least once a week for viruses. Many anti-virus programs can be configured to scan automatically at a given frequency. Also, many programs offer a “smart” or “quick” scan option along with the full scan option. Although most scans can be “quick” scans, be sure to occasionally select the full scan.
- Be wary of suspicious-looking Web sites. If the site doesn’t appear trustworthy or is poorly maintained, avoid clicking links or downloading content from that site. Also, avoid downloading content from peer-to-peer (P2P) programs such as LimeWire, Soulseek, BitTorrent, and others, as illegally-downloaded songs/software/videos etc. often come packaged with trojans and malware.
- Delete spam immediately. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t respond to it, and never, ever give out personal information. Even if it’s from “Drexel University Technical Support” or “Drexel University Web Support” and says “this is not spam”—it almost certainly IS a scam!
If you are ever unsure whether or not a message is legitimate or a scam, please contact the IRT Help Desk over the phone at 215-895-2020, or email consult@drexel.edu.
You can also view examples of scam emails on IRT's Web site.
By the way, this is not spam.