New User Interface for PSS – Password Self Service

On March 16 2022, LIS will launch a newly updated user experience for PSS – Password Self Service.

Why are we doing this?
In order to keep PSS up to date with the latest security patches, we are required to perform an update.  This update includes a new user interface for the desktop and mobile experience.

What can you expect in the new PSS?
You will notice that the new PSS features the same functionality as the old outdated version, just with a newly updated and streamlined user interface.  Keep reading below for specifics on the differences that you will see.

How to change my password?

You still go https://pss.widener.edu and log in with your current credentials.  Now click either your Name or the Person icon in the upper blue bar, then click Change Password.

Desktop Experience:

Mobile Experience:

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do I change my cellphone number?
Login to https://pss.widener.edu, then click either your Name or the Person icon in the upper blue bar, then click Profile Settings.  From here, click Edit Profile. Enter your new cellphone number (without the dashes) and click Save.

 

 

 

 

 


How do I change my Challenge Questions?

Login to https://pss.widener.edu, then click either your Name or the Person icon in the upper blue bar, then click Profile Settings.  From here, click Update Security Questions.  Here you have the ability to change your questions and/or answers.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month : The Red Flags of Rogue URLs

Spotting malicious URLs is a bit of an art. The examples represented here are some of the common tricks used by hackers and phishers to fool users into visiting malicious websites. The methods shown here could be used by legitimate services, but if you see one of these “tricks” you need to make sure you’re dealing with the organization you think you are.

Look-a-Alike Domains

Slight Misspellings
          • Microsoftnline
            <v5pz @ onmicrosoft . com>
          • www.llnked in.com
Brand name in URL, but not real brand domain
          • ee.microsoft.co.login-update-dec20.info
          • www.paypal.com.bank/logon?user=johnsmith@gmail.com
          • ww17.googlechromeupdates.com/
Brand name in email address but doesn’t match brand domain
          • Bank of America
            <BankofAmerica@customerloyalty.accounts.com>

URL Domain Name Encoding

      • https://%77%77%77.%6B%6E%6F%77%62%654.%63%6F%6D

Shortened URLs

      • When clicking on a shortened URL, watch out for malicious redirection. https://bit.ly/2SnA7Fnm

Domain Mismatches

      • Human Services.gov
        <Despina.Orrantia6731610@gmx.com>
        https://www.le-blog-qui-assure.com/

Strange Originating Domains

      • MAERSK
        <info@onlinealxex.com.pl>

Open Redirectors

URLs which have hidden links to completely different web sites at the end.

      • t-info.mail.adobe.com/r/?id=hc347a&p1=evilwebsite .com

 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month : 20 Ways to Stop Mobile Attacks

Don’t let your guard down just because you’re on a mobile device. Be just as careful as you would on a desktop!

WiFi

            • Don’t allow your device to auto-join unfamiliar
              networks.
            • Always turn off WiFi when you aren’t using it or
              don’t need it.
            • Never send sensitive information over WiFi unless you’re absolutely sure it’s a secure network.

Apps

            • Only use apps available in your device’s official
              store – NEVER download from a browser.
            • Be wary of apps from unknown developers or
              those with limited/bad reviews.
            • Keep them updated to ensure they have the
              latest security.
            • If they’re no longer supported by your store,
              just delete!
            • Don’t grant administrator, or excessive privileges
              to apps unless you truly trust them.

Browser

            • Watch out for ads, giveaways and contests that
              seem too good to be true. Often these lead to
              phishing sites that appear to be legit.
            • Pay close attention to URLs. These are harder to
              verify on mobile screens but it’s worth the effort.
            • Never save your login information when you’re
              using a web browser.

Bluetooth

            • Disable automatic Bluetooth pairing.
            • Always turn it off when you don’t need it.

Smishing  (phishing via SMS)

            • Don’t trust messages that attempt to get you to
              reveal any personal information
            • Beware of similar tactics in platforms like What’s
              App, Facebook Messenger Instagram, etc.
            • Treat messages the same way you would treat
              email, always think before you click!

Vishing (voice phishing)

            • Do not respond to telephone or email requests
              for personal financial information. If you are
              concerned, call the financial institution directly,
              using the phone number that appears on the
              back of your credit card or on your monthly
              statement.
            • Never click on a link in an unsolicited commercial
              email.
            • Speak only with live people when providing
              account information, and only when you initiate
              the call.
            • Install software that can tell you whether you are
              on a secure or fake website.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month : Social Engineering Awareness Tips

Here are a few  social engineering awareness tips to remember that will help protect you.

      1.  Criminals won’t just email you, they’ll use SMS,
        phone calls, or even knock on your door. Remain
        vigilant at all times.
      2.  Don’t jailbreak your phone or sideload apps from
        non-approved app stores.
      3.  Lock your computer when leaving it unattended.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month :Free Course “2021 Social Engineering Red Flags”

2021 Social Engineering Red Flags

With our free training module we help you understand this threat and how to keep yourself and your organization safe. Available in 10 languages!

By the end of this course, you will learn:

          • How to recognize red flags, or signs of danger
          • Example scenarios showing cybercriminals’ techniques
          • Actionable steps you can take to protect yourself and your organization

2021 Social Engineering Red Flags Course

Finding IT Services Just Got Easier!

Announcing the new ITS Service Catalog

Widener University Office of Information Technology Services is pleased to announce our first iteration of our Service Catalog. It serves as a new way to access and request information regarding ITS services.

How to Access the Service Catalog?

You can access the Service Catalog by searching on the myWidener portal or using the direct link to the Service Catalog at http://sites.widener.edu/service-catalog/.

What is a Service Catalog?

The Service Catalog provides an organized collection of services that are available to the Widener University community. The web-based Service Catalog offers one location to access information about ITS services, contacts, and resources. While this is currently not an extensive or all-inclusive list, we will continually add services to the catalog, as well as information about each service, such as: how to request a service and links to support information.

Why an IT Service Catalog?

You may be familiar with ITS services, but it can sometimes be difficult to know whom to contact for what. The Service Catalog was developed to:

      • Provide one central source of information in a standard format.
      • Enhance the understanding of what services ITS provides.
      • Improve customer service by integrating with Helpdesk and support activities.
      • Provide a regularly updated web presence for ITS services which are accurate, current, and contains timely information about new and changing services.

How does the Service Catalog Work?

The web-based Service Catalog is broken up by categories and then into services. It was designed as an easy way for customers to navigate the inventory of services.  Each service includes a brief description of what is provided and to whom. Each may also include links to additional information. There is a search function to quickly locate specific services.

How do I provide feedback?

To provide comments and suggestions on our services and the Service Catalog itself, please email itscs@widener.edu. We are especially interested in how we can make the Service Catalog more useful to you!

 

 

Announcing Hypothesis

We are excited to announce that Widener University now has a license with Hypothesis, a social annotation tool installed directly into Canvas. Adding Hypothesis to readings in Canvas supports student success by placing active discussion right on top of course readings, enabling students and teachers to add comments and start conversations in the margins of texts. This integration works seamlessly with Canvas modules, assignments, and the SpeedGrader!

If you would like to get started, below are some resources to implement Hypothesis in your Canvas courses:

Here are a few general Hypothesis resources, all of which could also be shared with students:

If you have any questions about our partnership with Hypothesis, please reach out!

Stand Up to Cyberbullying

Today is International Stand Up to Bullying Day, a special semi-annual event in which participants wear and use pink to take a visible, public stance against bullying.

Stand up to bullying and show your support for your fellow members of the Pride, by using this pink Zoom background for your next class or meeting. The background has been added to Widener’s default Zoom backgrounds and available to select when choosing a virtual background. Don’t see it?  Sign out of Zoom and then sign back in with the SSO option.

Cyberbullying vs. bullying

Cyberbullying is the “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices” (from cyberbullying.org).  These elements include the following:

        • Willful: The behavior has to be deliberate.
        • Repeated: Bullying reflects a pattern of behavior, not just one isolated incident.
        • Harm: The target must perceive that harm was inflicted.
        • Computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices: This, of course, is what differentiates cyberbullying from traditional bullying
Anonymity, Distance, and Scope

While often similar in terms of form and technique, the three main differences can make cyberbullying even more devastating: anonymity, distance, and scope.

Because they don’t need to physically confront their victim, the aggressor can hide behind an anonymous username and their target might never know the source of their torment. This anonymity can also embolden those who would never dream of bullying someone in real life.  While acting from a physically distant location, the aggressor doesn’t have to see the immediate effects of their actions. Anonymity and distance allow cyberbullies to be crueler than they ever would be in person.

The scope of cyberbullying and the ability for those hurtful actions to go viral means that a large number of people can participate in the victimization. Technology’s global reach provides a limitless pool of potential targets, aggressors, and witnesses/bystanders.  Victims cannot escape the eyes of their virtual audience, which amplifies their feelings of helplessness and despair.

Why Pink?

The color pink is used in connection with the original campaign started by Travis Price and David Shepherd, two students who took a stand for a fellow student who was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school.

“David Shepherd, Travis Price and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt]…[They] took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. ‘I learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do wonders,’ says Mr. Price, 17, who organized the pink protest. ‘Finally, someone stood up for a weaker kid.’ So Mr. Shepherd and some other headed off to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag. As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. ‘It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled. The bullies were never heard from again.”

— Globe & Mail

We’re all Widener

At Widener, the safety & well-being of our community is a top priority. If you have experienced or witnessed bullying, or other forms of discrimination or harassment, there are resources here to help:

Report It
Campus Safety
Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS)
Student Success & Support

 

Who is Cortana and Why Am I Receiving “Your Daily Briefing” Emails?

Summary: Office 365 users recently began receiving daily Cortana emails. In this article we will explain what these email are, what Cortana can do, and how you can disable it if you choose to.

Who is Cortana?

Cortana is Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence (AI), promoting it as a personal productivity assistant to help you save time and focus on what matters most. Cortana powers their entire secure cloud, which includes Office 365. Cortana is voice activated.

Why is Cortana Emailing Me?

Your Daily Briefing email is sent to help you stay in control of your calendar and be more intentional with your day. Cortana learns when you get to work and will send the email based upon what it predicts is the start of your work day.

What can Cortana do for me?

Cortana can be found by clicking start and typing “Cortana”, it will ask you to login using your email account. Some of the things that Cortana can do for you:

      • Join a meeting in Microsoft Teams or find out who your next meeting is with
      • Manage your calendar and keep your schedule up to date
      • Create and Manage Lists
      • Set reminders and alarms
      • Open apps on your computer

Not receiving Cortana Emails?

Cortana is data driven, the more data it has the better to predict your needs. If you are not receiving the Daily Briefing emails, not to worry, Cortana just doesn’t have enough data to send them. You may also not be subscribed.

How can I unsubscribe, subscribe or find out if my Cortana is active?

If you do not want to receive Cortana emails, look in the footer of the Daily Briefing email, there you will find an “unsubscribe” button.

To verify if your Cortana is active or to change your subscription. While logged into your Office 365 account, you can go to https://cortana.office.com and change your subscription at any time. 

If you would like to learn more about what Cortana can do for you, please visit the Cortana LinkedIn Learning playlist. You can also search in LinkedIn Learning to find more in-depth tutorials.