Category Archives: Post for MiddPoints

@MiddInfoSec – New Phishing Threat

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Information Security has become aware of a new phishing threat with a subject line of “ITS Help-desk”. Please see below for the full content of this attack. Note this email is a hoax and should be deleted from your email. Do not reply to this message and do not click any links in this message. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the help desk at x2200 or forward the message to phishing@middlebury.edu.

phish

Important reminders to spot a phish include:

  1. Read the entire email from start to finish to ensure that the content and language fits with the sender.
  2. Hover your mouse over links to ensure the link directs you to the destination indicated by the email.
  3. Look for miss placed language, such as copyrights or signatures, that do not match the sender.

For additional information on phishing please visit http://go.middlebury.edu/phish

@MiddInfoSec: Guard Your Privacy When Offline or Traveling

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Information Security has a New Twitter feed and other new content on their website. Follow us at @MiddInfosec or visit our website at http://go.middlebury.edu/infosec

Planning a spring break vacation? People are frequently more vulnerable when traveling because a break from their regular routine or encounters with unfamiliar situations often result in less cautious behavior. If this sounds like you, or someone you know, these five tips will help you protect yourself and guard your privacy.

  • Track that device! Install a device finder or manager on your mobile device in case it’s lost or stolen. Make sure it has remote wipe capabilities and also protects against malware.
  • Avoid social media announcements about your travel plans. It’s tempting to share your upcoming vacation plans with family and friends, but consider how this might make you an easy target for local or online thieves. While traveling, avoid using social media to “check in” to airports and consider posting those beautiful photos after you return home. Find out how burglars are using your vacation posts to target you in this infographic.
  • Traveling soon? If you’re traveling with a laptop or mobile device, remove or encrypt confidential information. Consider using a laptop or device designated for travel with no personal information, especially when traveling out of the country.
  • Limit personal information stored on devices. Use a tool like Identity Finder to locate your personally identifiable information (e.g., SSN, credit card numbers, or bank accounts) on your computer, then secure or remove that information.

Physically protect yourself and your devices. Use a laptop lock, avoid carrying identification cards, shred sensitive paperwork before you recycle it, and watch out for “shoulder surfers” at the ATM.

Digital Media Bootcamp Update

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We’ve added another session to the Digital Media Bootcamp.

Wilson Media Lab

Wilson Media Lab

Quicktime, SnapZ Pro, MPEG Streamclip, Scanners, Plotters and more @ 2:15pm

Date: January 18, 2016

Mack Roark – This workshop will teach you the basic functionality of Apple’s Quicktime, how to use SnapZ Pro to do a screen capture of video, and how to use features of MPEG StreamClip to view and convert video clips. Also included is an overview and demonstration of the scanners, plotter, and capture station located in the Wilson Multimedia Development Lab. You will learn the basics of how to operate these devices and the software associated with them. This is a 2 hour workshop.

Current List of Workshops

Title Date
Quicktime, SnapZ Pro, MPEG Streamclip, Scanners, Plotters and more @ 2:15pm January 18, 2016 View & sign-up »
Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp – Working with Data @1pm until 4pm January 19, 2016 View & sign-up »
Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp – Visualizing Data @1pm until 4pm January 20, 2016 View & sign-up »
Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp – Mapping Data @1pm until 4pm January 21, 2016 View & sign-up »
Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp – Analyzing Textual Data @1pm until 4pm January 22, 2016 View & sign-up »
Introduction to Information Literacy @ 2:45pm January 25, 2016 View & sign-up »
Safe Computing Practices at Middlebury @ 1pm January 25, 2016 View & sign-up »
Online Identity: Your Story to the World @ 2:45pm January 26, 2016 View & sign-up »
Online Recording Lab: SANSSpace @ 1pm January 27, 2016 View & sign-up »
Intro to Audio Literacy @ 3:30pm January 27, 2016 View & sign-up »
Intro to Visual Literacy and Presentations @ 3:30pm February 3, 2016 View & sign-up »

Digital Media Bootcamp Update

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We have added four more workshop to the Digital Media Bootcamp series in January, including three sessions for the Digital Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp.

Wilson Media Lab

Wilson Media Lab

Title Date
Presentation Kick-starter @ 1pm January 7, 2016 View & sign-up »

You are in a group of people that have been given the task of giving a presentation on a topic, now what do you do? This workshop will walk you through some rapid prototyping and iterative feedback steps to create a draft of your presentation.

Digital Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp

Title Date
Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp – Visualizing Data @1pm until 4pm January 20, 2016 View & sign-up »
Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp – Mapping Data @1pm until 4pm January 21, 2016 View & sign-up »
Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp – Analyzing Textual Data @1pm until 4pm January 22, 2016 View & sign-up »
  • Title: Visualizing Data
  • Instructors: Ryan Clement & Alicia Peaker
  • Prerequisite: Working with Data

Description: In this session, we’ll cover some of the basic theory of visual communication, including how to choose the best visual representation for your data, and best practices for preparing visualizations for print, the web, or presenting. We’ll discuss traditional representations, including bar, line, and scatterplots, as well as touching on more advanced representations. After a discussion of how visualizations are used (and advanced) in humanistic research, we’ll use freely available web-based tools to create our own visualizations.

  • Title: Mapping Data
  • Instructors: Ryan Clement & Alicia Peaker
  • Prerequisite: Working with Data

Description: In this session, we’ll work through how to prepare, use, and present spatial data. We’ll start with an overview of spatial literacy topics, including how to select a projection (and why it’s important), working with map layers, and basic cartographic theory. We’ll then explore some library resources for creating maps and obtaining spatial data, and then create our own maps using free, web-based tools.

  • Title: Analyzing Textual Data
  • Instructor: Alicia Peaker
  • Prerequisite: Working with Data

Description: In this session, we’ll work through how to prepare, use, and analyze textual data (e.g. novels, newspapers, journals, plays, survey responses, etc.) to address humanistic research questions. While quantitative approaches may be appropriate for some research questions, this session will primarily focus on text mining as an exploratory practice that leads to or helps refine analysis.

We also have a number of seats still available in the following workshops that cover a range of topics, including browser-based video recording services, how the world perceives us on the internet, and opportunities to use equipment like the Leap Motion and Oculus Rift. Visit the DMBootcamp web site for more information.

Digital Media Bootcamp 2016

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The Digital Media Bootcamp offers the same workshops that we use in our Digital Media Tutor training during the month of January, and are open, à la carte, to all interested faculty, staff and students. This is the same training that we have been using for the Summer Digital Media Tutor program, plus a few additions based on feedback from last year’s Bootcamp.

The following sessions will introduce the attendees to a wide variety of technologies and uses, including computing practices at Middlebury, concepts and software for developing media, and devices for creating and consuming media. Most sessions will run for 90 minutes and will take place in the Wilson Media Lab in the Davis Family Library.

New This Year

Digital Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp

  • Instructors: Ryan Clement, Alicia Peaker, TBA
  • Description: Are you new to working with data for digital scholarship? In this DLA sponsored workshop series, we will teach you some of the basics of working with data as well as some free (and mainly web-based) tools you can use to visualize data, map data, and analyze textual data. The series will include one required course on the first day, as well as three à la carte course over the following three days. Attend one, or attend all three! All courses will be 3 hours long and will include discussions of background concepts as well as hands-on work.

    Because these courses will be tailored to the participants’ interests and disciplines, the deadline for signing up is January 1st. Please contact Alicia Peaker or Ryan Clement with any questions.

Current Sign-up Sheets

Title Date  
Intro to Visual Literacy and Presentations @ 2:45pm 4-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Intro to Audio Literacy @ 2:45pm 5-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Quicktime, SnapZ Pro, MPEG Streamclip @ 2:45pm 6-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Equipment Demo: Scanners, Plotters and more @ 1pm 8-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Copyright, IP and Creative Commons @ 1pm 11-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Audio Software @ 2:45pm 11-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Adobe InDesign @ 1pm 12-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Adobe Illustrator @ 2:45pm 12-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Equipment Demo: Cameras @ 1pm 13-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Adobe Photoshop @ 2:45pm 13-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Equipment Demo: Space and Place @ 1pm 14-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Liberal Arts Data Bootcamp –
Working with Data @1pm until 4pm		 19-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Introduction to Information Literacy @ 2:45pm 25-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Safe Computing Practices at Middlebury @ 1pm 25-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Online Identity: Your Story to the World @ 2:45pm 26-Jan-16 View & sign-up »
Online Recording Lab: SANSSpace @ 1pm 27-Jan-16 View & sign-up »

Library & Information Technology Services » Post for MiddNotes 2015-10-23 12:15:34

Helpdesk Alerts, ITS, libitsblog, library, LIS Staff Interest, lisblog, Middlebury Community Interest, middpoints, Post for MiddNotes, Post for MiddPoints

ccam

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Join your colleagues from both the Middlebury and Monterey campuses for a presentation and discussion on critical cybersecurity issues including phishing and cracking.

  • On October 29th at 12:30 Eastern time, Information Security will host a Cybersecurity Roadshow.
  • You can join the discussion in Lib105A on the Middlebury Campus or on PolyCom 710205
  • Central Monterey meeting location TBD.

Please join us for this discussion. It is open to students, faculty, staff and the community. Computer security is the responsibility of us all.

For more information call Information Security at 802-349-5805

The Canvas Pilot

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Our current Learning Management System (LMS), Moodle, was adopted back in 2011. Four years later we are reflecting on whether Moodle is still the best LMS to serve the growing needs of Middlebury. This fall we are doing a pilot to evaluate Canvas and determine whether we want to continue with Moodle or move to Canvas. You can learn more about Canvas and Middlebury’s evaluation by following this site – http://sites.middlebury.edu/canvas/

Since it has launched over 1,200 colleges, universities and school districts have adopted Canvas, including many of our peer and neighboring institutions, including Amherst,  Williams, Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth. It uses modern technology and service management, has a user-centric design, and the features that are common to an LMS are easier to find and use.

Some of the appealing features that are worth exploring are:

What about Moodle?

Middlebury adopted Moodle as its LMS in 2011 after a year-long evaluation (http://sites.middlebury.edu/segue/2011/06/14/moodle-middlebury/). At that time it was decided that we would use Moodle for a minimum of 5 years. At the end of the 5 years we would ask ourselves: Is Moodle still the right LMS for Middlebury? The 5 years will end in August of 2016.

The Canvas evaluation should not be considered as a sign that Middlebury intends to stop using, supporting, or expanding the platform. This is simply an opportunity to consider other options and review our use of Moodle.

New Survey Tool: Qualtrics

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As of July 2015, Middlebury has adopted Qualtrics as its on-line survey platform for faculty, students and staff.

  • Qualtrics is currently considered the industry-leading provider of online survey software.

  • It is already being used by members of Middlebury as well as in other educational institutions for administrative, academic and research purposes. For example, Amherst, Bowdoin, Colby, Hamilton, Pomona, and Wesleyan are among peer institutions that offer site wide access to Qualtrics.

  • It offers powerful features, such as 90 different question types, the ability to add multimedia to surveys and panel management that set it apart from KeySurvey, our current software.

  • Finally, the switch resulted in significant savings for the College.

Our previous survey platform, KeySurvey, will be available until the end of September and users are strongly encouraged to export their surveys and data before September 30th.

To create a Qualtrics account and learn how to transition from KeySurvey to Qualtrics, go to http://mediawiki.middlebury.edu/wiki/LIS/Qualtrics or contact Bill Koulopoulos (bkoul@middlebury.edu).

Security Notification: Ransomware Delivered Through Phishing Attacks

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A year ago the Internet saw a rash of malware known as ransomware. This malicious form of cyber attack is known for infecting a computer and encrypting a drive. The victim is then unable to recover their data until paying a ransom to the attacker. Middlebury, like many other institutions was not immune to this form of attack.

A week ago the FBI announced a new variant on a common form of these attacks known as CryptoWall. This form of ransomware is known to have four methods of infecting a computer.

  • Phishing: the attacker may lure a victim into downloading an infected attachment through a phishing campaign and thereby compromising the drive on their system.
  • Phishing: the attacker lures the victim into clicking on a link to a malicious web site where the victim unknowingly downloads the malicious software onto their system and compromises their drive.
  • Infected ad: the attacker posts and infected ad on a website which a user might click thereby causing the download of malicious software.
  • Compromised website: the attacker compromises a website so when a user visits the website they unknowingly download malicious software and compromise their system.

According to the FBI, by far the most common method of attack is phishing, particularly with attachments in the message.

What you can do to protect yourself:

  • Never open attachments or click links in emails that you do not recognize or trust.
  • Know what a phishing attack is and how to spot one. visit http://go.middlebury.edu/phish or http://phishing.org
  • If you think you have fallen for a phish change your password. then call x2200
  • If you believe you system is compromised, unplug it from the power and the network. Shut it down immediately. Do not worry about saving your work. then call x2200.
  • Backup your data routinely. If you save your data to Middfiles or your home directory it will be backed up automatically.
  • Never disable your antivirus software.
  • Send any suspect emails to phishing@middlebury.edu
  • Only download software from known vendor sites.
  • Don’t click on ads in web sites. Visit vendor websites directly.

Sources:

You CAN search library databases from off campus!

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You can search library databases from off campus! Just start at the library site: http://go.middlebury.edu/lib.  JSTOR, ebooks, audiobooks, Summon and all of our online journals, magazines and newspapers are there for you…no matter where you are!

When you’re off campus, links that are on library web pages (for example, Research Guides, Summon and the Journals list) will ask you to log in with Midd credentials. It’s as easy as that!

Seniors: Ask a librarian about alumni access to library databases!

Enjoy the summer!

offcampus