College of Engineering |

DECS works to provide a secure network environment to ensure the safety and continuity of resources we all need. The landscape of threats has changed since 2017 with a sharp increase in operating system vulnerabilities which are trivial enough to allow worms which  could spread ransomware. In order to avoid becoming a victim of a network worm, spreading malware to other victims, or as a jumping point for further attacks internally, it is essential to keep operating systems updated on a frequent basis. DECS recommends monthly updates and reboots, if not each time a computer notifies you.

Outside email accounts have been impersonating other Engineering people in an attempt to scam you for iTunes gift cards. They start by asking if you are available and then request you buy gift cards for an urgent task. It is likely a false identity and they are trying to steal money from you in the form of gift cards. Do not buy gift cards or prepaid credit cards as a favor for other people.

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems on January 14, 2020.

What does this mean?

What happened?
At approximately 6:00 AM July 11th, MSU IT enabled the new MSU Mail Protection service to safeguard “@msu.edu” email accounts. This service is designed to enhance the user experience while also greatly reducing spam, phishing, and malicious emails. MSU IT Services is closely monitoring all mail flows to ensure the tools are performing as expected with no interruptions to service.
 
How will this affect spam and malicious emails?

Hola VPN is a popular Firefox and Chrome extension that allows a person to watch access content. However, there are several issues with the service. The Hola VPN turns your computer into an exit node which allows other Hola users to use your network connection. Other people using your connection could be causing abuse or doing something illegal and you could be held accountable. By installing and using the Hola VPN, you will also be granting people outside the University access to our network. This means, you could be exposing the network to outside threats.