Information Systems
2021/10/18 - Mandatory Action Required for Work Laptops and PCs
In Short:
All work purchased computers/laptops managed by my group must be migrated to Windows Defender from Symantec Antivirus.
In Detail:
We have moved away from Symantec antivirus and must upgrade our computers to Microsoft Defender for antivirus protection. As a result, we need every computer we manage powered on and connected to the Internet to uninstall Symantec and set up Microsoft Defender. Any computer that is still running Symantec antivirus will no longer be protected from viruses, malware, etc. Most computers have been upgraded, but many computers(especially laptops) still need the upgrade.
- Work pc
- Located at work (most common) – make sure it is powered on and connected to an active network jack with a network cable
- Located at home – be sure to connect to the internet at your residence and login to Cisco AnyConnect VPN. Leave connected 3-4 hours. Click here for instructions
- Work laptop – 4 Options
- Connect to an active network jack at work and leave on 3-4 hours minimum
- Connect to SOMEMP wireless at work and leave on 3-4 hours minimum
- Connect to the internet at your residence, login to Cisco AnyConnect VPN and then login to Windows with your current SOM credentials. Click here for instructions
This upgrade must be completed by 10/31 and remember to connect devices you do not use often.
2021/09/17 - Urgent: Update Apple Devices
For those that have not heard on the news, a firm called the NSO Group has released spyware called Pegasus that is considered a “zero-click” spyware that affects Apple iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. “Zero-click” meaning it can be secretly installed without requiring you to do anything (i.e. click a link) to infect your device. This spyware can eavesdrop using the device camera or microphone and steal data from your device. Apple has released an update to fix the security flaw on Monday. For those that have Apple devices that have not automatically updated and are not at iOS version 14.8 (iPad and iPhone), Mac version 11.6, and/or Apple Watch OS 7.6.2, you should go into your settings and force the update. For iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watch, you can check your version by going into Settings-General-About.
This applies to personal and work purchased Apple devices.
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