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ParkMobile Data Breach Affects Some Mobile Parking App Users

Wednesday, April 14, 2021 - 16:15

 

Pitt Information Technology has received reports of a data breach that occurred at ParkMobile in March 2021. ParkMobile makes the popular mobile parking app of the same name and provides metering and parking app services to the City of Pittsburgh. Some University of Pittsburgh garages may accept payments through ParkMobile, if you pay through the application.

What Data Was Affected?

ParkMobile indicates that basic user information was taken, including license plate numbers and, if provided by the user, email addresses, phone numbers, and vehicle nicknames. Encrypted passwords were taken but not the encryption keys necessary to read the passwords, meaning that significant resources would be needed to break the password encryption.

ParkMobile indicates that no credit cards or parking transaction history were accessed, and they do not collect Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, or dates of birth.

What Do I Need to Do?

If you have an account with ParkMobile, out of an abundance of caution, Pitt IT recommends you change that password as soon as possible.

While the data exposed in the alleged breach did not come from University systems, sometimes individuals reuse the same passwords on multiple websites. If you use the same or a similar password at Pitt or other websites, you should also change those passwords. Also, because of the nature of other data taken, be vigilant for an increase in phishing scams or other scams related to this data.

In addition, utilize the following good password practices to minimize your susceptibility to data breaches:

  • Use a password manager to simplify the management of your various passwords. Pitt Password Manager (LastPass) is available at no cost to all students, faculty, and staff. You can use it to create strong, unique passwords for all your online services.
  • Do not reuse passwords across different websites. Scammers try variations of known passwords, so it is important to make sure your passwords are not similar to each other.  
  • Use strong, complex passwords that include symbols, numbers, and uppercase and lowercase letters.
  • Change your passwords frequently.
  • Use multifactor authentication on websites that allow it.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

April Microsoft Security Update

Tuesday, April 13, 2021 - 16:16

 

Microsoft Corporation has announced security updates for April that affect the following software: 

  • Azure AD Web Sign-in
  • Azure DevOps
  • Azure Sphere
  • Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)
  • Microsoft Exchange Server
  • Microsoft Graphics Component
  • Microsoft Internet Messaging API
  • Microsoft NTFS
  • Microsoft Office Excel
  • Microsoft Office Outlook
  • Microsoft Office SharePoint
  • Microsoft Office Word
  • Microsoft Windows Codecs Library
  • Microsoft Windows Speech
  • Open Source Software
  • Role: DNS Server
  • Role: Hyper-V
  • Visual Studio
  • Visual Studio Code
  • Visual Studio Code - GitHub Pull Requests and Issues Extension
  • Visual Studio Code - Kubernetes Tools
  • Visual Studio Code - Maven for Java Extension
  • Windows Application Compatibility Cache
  • Windows AppX Deployment Extensions
  • Windows Console Driver
  • Windows Diagnostic Hub
  • Windows Early Launch Antimalware Driver
  • Windows ELAM
  • Windows Event Tracing
  • Windows Installer
  • Windows Kernel
  • Windows Media Player
  • Windows Network File System
  • Windows Overlay Filter
  • Windows Portmapping
  • Windows Registry
  • Windows Remote Procedure Call Runtime
  • Windows Resource Manager
  • Windows Secure Kernel Mode
  • Windows Services and Controller App
  • Windows SMB Server
  • Windows TCP/IP
  • Windows Win32K
  • Windows WLAN Auto Config Service

Pitt Information Technology recommends that users immediately identify and install the security updates necessary to remediate these vulnerabilities by using Microsoft's Windows Update feature on their computers as soon as possible. Additional information about the updates is available on Microsoft’s Security TechCenter.

In addition, Pitt IT recommends that all students, faculty, and staff install Antivirus and Anti-Malware (Malwarebytes) Protection. Departments can submit a help request to obtain Malwarebytes for multiple machines.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

Qualtrics Updates User Experience on March 31

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 - 16:30

 

On Wednesday, March 31, the Online Survey System (Qualtrics) will be upgraded by the vendor. The following changes are expected to make Qualtrics easier to navigate and provide a more intuitive user experience:

  • The platform’s global navigation menu will be updated to be more intuitive and moved to the upper left-hand side
  • A new Catalog feature will replace “Create new project” and “Create new action” in the global navigation menu
  • Favorites will be retired as a system feature because of similarities with Recents, which remains as a collection near the top of the Catalog’s front page
  • All other previously available create functions are part of the new Catalog feature

Additionally, several new Survey Builder features will be available by clicking the Try it now link in the banner that appears at the top of the Survey tab.

  • Revised toolbar navigation
  • An updated, simplified panel for question creation and block configuration
  • Improved indicators for auto-saved projects, project draft mode, or published projects
  • Drag-and drop functionality for arranging survey questions and blocks
  • Easier to access end-of-survey messages and survey workflow controls

At the end of April 2021, the updated Survey Builder experience will become the default for all users. However, a Switch back option will allow users to alternate between the new and legacy experiences until the end of May.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

Zoom Will Be Unavailable During Maintenance on March 20–21

Wednesday, March 17, 2021 - 13:29

 

Zoom Videoconferencing will be unavailable for up to three hours during scheduled maintenance from 11 p.m. on Saturday, March 20, through 7 a.m. on Sunday, March 21.

If you are hosting a Zoom meeting during the maintenance window, Pitt IT recommends you reschedule the meeting using Microsoft Teams or another videoconferencing service and inform all participants. 

This maintenance is necessary because Zoom is updating the security certificate that is used with Pitt Passport, the University’s single sign-on service. Although maintenance may last up to three hours, Zoom will be returned to service earlier if work is completed ahead of schedule.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

March Microsoft Security Update

Tuesday, March 9, 2021 - 17:36

 

Microsoft Corporation has announced security updates for March that affect the following software: 

  • Application Virtualization
  • Azure
  • Azure DevOps
  • Azure Sphere
  • Internet Explorer
  • Microsoft ActiveX
  • Microsoft Exchange Server
  • Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based)
  • Microsoft Graphics Component
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Office Excel
  • Microsoft Office PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Office SharePoint
  • Microsoft Office Visio
  • Microsoft Windows Codecs Library
  • Power BI
  • Role: DNS Server
  • Role: Hyper-V
  • Visual Studio
  • Visual Studio Code
  • Windows Admin Center
  • Windows Container Execution Agent
  • Windows DirectX
  • Windows Error Reporting
  • Windows Event Tracing
  • Windows Extensible Firmware Interface
  • Windows Folder Redirection
  • Windows Installer
  • Windows Media
  • Windows Overlay Filter
  • Windows Print Spooler Components
  • Windows Projected File System Filter Driver
  • Windows Registry
  • Windows Remote Access API
  • Windows Storage Spaces Controller
  • Windows Update Assistant
  • Windows Update Stack
  • Windows UPnP Device Host
  • Windows User Profile Service
  • Windows WalletService
  • Windows Win32K

Pitt Information Technology recommends that users immediately identify and install the security updates necessary to remediate these vulnerabilities by using Microsoft's Windows Update feature on their computers as soon as possible. Additional information about the updates is available on Microsoft’s Security TechCenter.

In addition, Pitt IT recommends that all students, faculty, and staff install Antivirus and Anti-Malware (Malwarebytes) Protection. Departments can submit a help request to obtain Malwarebytes for multiple machines.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

Ensure You Are Using the Latest Version of Office 365 ProPlus

Friday, March 5, 2021 - 14:24

 

Microsoft has informed the University that some of its Office 365 ProPlus installations will reach the end of their support lifecycle on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Affected versions of Office 365 ProPlus will continue to work after this date, but they will no longer receive important security updates from Microsoft.

If your department manages updates for your computer, then Office 365 ProPlus should be updated automatically to the most recent version. If your department does not manage updates for your computer, or if you also installed Office 365 ProPlus on a personal device, we strongly recommend you check for and install Office 365 updates by following the steps outlined on Microsoft’s website.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

PeopleSoft/HighPoint Campus Experience (CX) Maintenance Scheduled for March 8

Friday, March 5, 2021 - 11:30

 

Vendor maintenance is scheduled for PeopleSoft/HighPoint Campus Experience (CX) on Monday, March 8, from 8 to 11 p.m. While no outage is expected, some students, instructors, and advisors may experience errors using CX, Degree Planner, and Schedule Builder while maintenance is in progress.

This routine maintenance is necessary to maintain the security, stability, and reliability of these applications.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

Adobe Security Vulnerabilities Affect Photoshop, Acrobat, and Other Products

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 - 17:46

 

Adobe has announced critical new security vulnerabilities affecting several of its products, including Photoshop, Acrobat, Illustrator, Animate, Dreamweaver, and Magento.

An attacker who successfully exploits the most severe of these vulnerabilities could potentially install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Pitt IT is not aware of any University systems that have been exploited, but attackers elsewhere are actively exploiting the Adobe Reader vulnerability on Windows systems.

Adobe recommends users update affected Adobe products to the newest version via the Creative Cloud desktop app’s update mechanism, or by following the instructions provided in the Adobe security bulletins below:

In addition, Pitt IT recommends that all students, faculty, and staff install Antivirus and Anti-Malware (Malwarebytes) Protection. Departments can submit a help request to obtain Malwarebytes for multiple machines.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

February Microsoft Security Update

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 - 17:14

 

Microsoft Corporation has announced security updates for February that affect the following software: 

  • .NET Core
  • .NET Framework
  • Azure IoT
  • Developer Tools
  • Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service
  • Microsoft Dynamics
  • Microsoft Edge for Android
  • Microsoft Exchange Server
  • Microsoft Graphics Component
  • Microsoft Office Excel
  • Microsoft Office SharePoint
  • Microsoft Windows Codecs Library
  • Role: DNS Server
  • Role: Hyper-V
  • Role: Windows Fax Service
  • Skype for Business
  • SysInternals
  • System Center
  • Visual Studio
  • Windows Address Book
  • Windows Backup Engine
  • Windows Console Driver
  • Windows Defender
  • Windows DirectX
  • Windows Event Tracing
  • Windows Installer
  • Windows Kernel
  • Windows Mobile Device Management
  • Windows Network File System
  • Windows PFX Encryption
  • Windows PKU2U
  • Windows PowerShell
  • Windows Print Spooler Components
  • Windows Remote Procedure Call
  • Windows TCP/IP
  • Windows Trust Verification API

Pitt Information Technology recommends that users immediately identify and install the security updates necessary to remediate these vulnerabilities by using Microsoft's Windows Update feature on their computers as soon as possible. Additional information about the updates is available on Microsoft’s Security TechCenter.

In addition, Pitt IT recommends that all students, faculty, and staff install Antivirus and Anti-Malware (Malwarebytes) Protection. Departments can submit a help request to obtain Malwarebytes for multiple machines.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.

Live Transcription for Zoom Arrives February 12; Requires Host Activation

Friday, February 5, 2021 - 14:23

 

Zoom Videoconferencing will enable automatic Live Transcription on Friday, Feb. 12. The new captioning feature uses artificial intelligence to display what the speaker is saying as text at the bottom of the meeting video. This feature is designed to improve digital accessibility of Zoom meetings and webinars.

AI-powered live transcription can be enabled by the host and any participants can view the captioning as needed. The host of a meeting activates this feature by clicking Live Transcript in meeting controls, then clicking Enable Auto-Transcription. Once opened, participants have the option to use the Live Transcript setting to hide or view a full Live Transcript session in the sidebar, as well as hide or view the subtitles displayed over the video.

Live transcription only supports English and it is recommended that you speak clearly for best results. The accuracy of Zoom’s live transcription feature depends on many variables, such as background noise, volume and clarity of the speaker’s voice, the speaker's proficiency with the English language, etc.

More details are available on the Zoom Videoconferencing page. Note that breakout rooms and the Zoom HIPAA environment do not currently support the use of Live Transcripts.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.