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Fact or Fiction: The Myths of Cyber Security

by Sarah Schnittker and Michael Gunther

The continuous rise of cybercrime has become a prevalent issue in today’s news. From the upcoming  2024 Paris Olympics to the recent Keenan Data Breach, cyber security is relevant to all organizations touching the web, big and small. That is why it’s important to distinguish best practices from circulating myths about cyber security. Here are some of the most prevalent issues we’ve seen:
 
1. FALSE: Complicated Passwords > Diverse Passwords
There are handy tools across the internet illustrating the best-types of passwords, meeting a handful of requirements for complexity. Some of these tools can show how secure is your password, by giving an estimate of how long it’d take a hacker to get into your account and addressing ‘well established tricks.’ The problem is: once they have one password, they have them all. It’s important to diversify your passwords across multiple accounts to protect your personal information everywhere. 
 
2. TRUE: Multi-Factor Authentication is Necessary
Single factor authentications are a way of confirming your identity, like a password or pin; but multi-factor, or two step, is a second layer of security. Most multi-factor authentications are prompted upon logging in and have a randomly generated code only available to you. This means that a potential hacker would need more time to get into your account, and, by then, the code has expired! 
 
3. FALSE: Phishing Attempts always Masquerade as a Trusted Source
This is not always true! The first step to phishing is to get ahold of your account; many times, from there, the hacker disguises themself as you and can continue collecting accounts from the organization. But the initial contact could be anything prompting you to act. 
General rule of thumb? If you don’t know who it is, don’t touch it.
This includes: 
a. Unnamed or suspiciously named attachments.
b. Random links or buttons in emails that direct you to unknown websites.
c. Promises too good or too awful to be true, asking for a response.
d. Bank, Shipping, or Invoices from random emails.
 
Remember that our Information Security team hosts FLEX workshops and Information sessions all year round. Keep an eye out for the next one this summer. Always check who is sending you information, and if you have concerns, report the phishing attempt!

 


Exploring the Expanded District Resources Page

by Scott McAfee

The District Accessibility Resources page has been expanded, and it's your go-to source for everything related to accessibility in our district! Part of this recent expansion includes new, accessible templates for Office, Word, and Excel, which will help ensure that your digital content is structurally accessible from the very beginning. You'll also discover a wealth of new information on best practices for creating accessible PowerPoint, PDF, and Word documents, making it easier than ever to create content that everyone in our campus community can enjoy.

When considering digital or technology purchases, it's essential to request a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) from the vendor. This document, which must be completed by the vendor prior to purchasing approval, is a crucial step in the purchasing process for all software and hardware-based products. The information provided in the VPAT will guide our decision-making and ensure that we prioritize accessibility, fulfilling our commitment to acquiring 508 compliant tools and technology. By adhering to the VPAT process, we demonstrate our support not only for diversity, equity, and inclusion, but also compliance with BP 3725 and AP 3725, which outline our policies on Information and Communications Technology Accessibility and Acceptable Use. This proactive approach helps us maintain an inclusive and accessible digital environment for our entire campus community.

The District Accessibility Resources page is also filled with a variety of other helpful information and resources designed to support our commitment to accessibility. I encourage you to take some time to explore the page and familiarize yourself with the tools and information available. If you have any questions or need assistance with the VPAT process, District accessibility, or 508 compliance, please don't hesitate to reach out to Scott McAfee, Access Coordinator. We are here to support you in making accessibility a key consideration in all aspects of your work.

 


Hardware Hygiene

by Carlo Cannavale


When I step foot into my shower each morning, I ask myself the same question.... “Why does my wife have twenty different bottles of shampoos, conditioners, body washes, body scrubs, etc?”.  As I reach for my one bottle that science has magically figured out how to cram shampoo, conditioner and body wash into, I’m reminded how important personal hygiene is for our health and happiness. Hygiene for your tech is equally important.  Take a quick moment and look at your keyboard. I mean really look at it. Look at the keys. Look between the keys. What about your mouse? What about under your mouse??? I’m willing to bet it’s not a pretty sight and probably much worse than you thought. Aside from the general grime that builds up over time and looks unsightly, crumbs, dust and oil can build up and affect how your peripherals perform.  Keeping your peripherals clean can improve their performance and extend their life. It only takes a few minutes and the supplies you’ll need are inexpensive and easy to find. You may even them already.  
You’ll need the following:

  • Isopropyl Alcohol (70% or higher)
  • Cotton Swabs/small brush
  • Microfiber Towel/Cloth
  • Canned compressed air
  • Screen cleaner spray


Power off or unplug your keyboard (if wired) and take it out outside. Use the compressed air and blow in between the keys. Hold the keyboard upside as you spray to allow gravity to help you clear out any debris. Once done, take it back inside. From here, pour a small amount of alcohol on your cleaning cloth and wipe down the keyboard, making sure to get in between the keys and the underside of the keyboard.  Add some more alcohol onto the cloth if needed and begin wiping down the mouse. If it has any removable plates or covers, remove them. Wipe all around as well the bottom of the mouse which attracts the most grime from your desk. Use the cotton swabs or brush to get into the crevices.  Alcohol does a great job of breaking down the grime and disinfecting the surfaces. It also evaporates quickly which makes it great to use on electronics. To clean your monitors, you can use alcohol to clean the outer bezels and back of the monitor but you will want to use a special cleaner designed for screens. Never use Windex as ammonia can damage the screen’s surface.  Spray the cleaner onto a microfiber cloth and gently wipe down your screen.  Make sure to also check for any dust build up on the vents of your laptop or desktop as that could cause your device to overheat.  Taking these simple steps will insure your devices and peripherals not only look good but help to extend their lives and keep them performing well for a long time.

If you need help cleaning a laptop keyboard, feel free to stop by one of our I.T. offices and ask one of our technicians for assistance.

CSS Office Location and Hours

 


Virtual Meeting Tips


Looking for ways to get the most out of your virtual meetings? Dipesh Jain, leader of sales and marketing teams at Magic EdTech, has some helpful tips for you. In his article, “Virtually Possible”, Jain outlines many ways in which you can maximize the benefits of your digital meetings.  


His tips include: 

  • “Set a clear agenda.”
  • “Manage your time.”
    • “Adhere to the allocated duration.”
    • “Aim for meetings to conclude a few minutes before the half-hour or hour mark.”
  • “Boost engagement.”
    • “Polls, question-and-answer sessions, and breakout room help to increase engagement”
  • “Don’t get hijacked.”
    • “Diplomatically intervene if someone is monopolizing your meeting”
  • “Agree on action items.”
    • “Conclude with actionable tasks.”
    • “Identify, document, and delegate tasks.”
  • …and more!

To read more about Jain’s virtual meeting tips, follow this link:

https://www.costcoconnection.com/april_2024/page3.html

 


Microsoft OneNote features to boost your note-taking productivity

by Santhy Chandran

 

1. Tags

Tags are a way to categorize and prioritize notes in OneNote. With tags, you can quickly return to important items or filter on notes you'd like to share with others. You can tag anything from a single line of text to an entire paragraph.


In order to add a tag

  • Place the cursor at the beginning of the line of text you want to tag
  • Home>Tags>Select the appropriate tag from the drop-down list.

screenshot of onedrive software.

screenshot of onedrive software.

You can add tags as you fill the notes. Tags are really powerful. To find your tag, click Home>Find Tags. It will give you a list of all the places you have tagged. Tagging can save you time as your one note continues to grow.


2. Copy text from picture 
OneNote supports Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which lets you copy text from pictures or scanned images and paste it into your notes for editing or formatting.. 

screenshot of onedrive software.

3. Share and collaborate in one note.
You can share an entire notebook with other people and allow each invited notebook participant to view or fully edit your notes.

screenshot of onedrive software.

Emailing link to a section to people who is already part of your settings using Section>Copy Link to Section

screenshot of onedrive software.
 

 


Image of flowers growing out of a microchip.