Beginning Monday, March 28, 2022, UNCG’s Information Technology Services (ITS) will deploy the cyber security safeguards listed below. These prevention measures are being put in place as stated by the Executive Steering Committee, IT Governance at UNCG, and in response to Federal, State, and UNC System warnings about cyber-attacks against the United States by the Russian government or its proxies.
| Safeguard | What does this mean for clients? |
|---|---|
| Disable legacy POP authentication; and restrict legacy IMAP. | This safeguard will not impact users of approved email access methods such as Gmail and Google Sync for Outlook. Users of email clients such as iOS Mail, Mac Mail, and Thunderbird need to log in again after disabling POP authentication. Note: UNCG ITS supports Google apps only. |
| Deploy additional ransomware protections to managed devices. | Clients will not be able to access certain websites or IP addresses from their University-owned device if the website or IP address is determined to be a cybersecurity threat. |
| Increase email phishing protections. | Clients may experience an increase in possible false-positives which may lead to missed emails. False-positive messages will be placed in the client’s spam folder. |
| Enable Microsoft AI defense for “Risky Users” behavior interventions. | Clients with user behavior determined as high-risk by Microsoft’s artificial intelligence and machine learning technology will have their logins interrupted and be prompted to complete a Self Service Password Reset using multi-factor authentication and their security information. |
| Enable Microsoft AI defense for “Risky Sign-Ins” behavior interventions. | Client sign-in attempts determined as high-risk by Microsoft’s artificial intelligence and machine learning technology will be blocked. No recourse is needed except to sign-in again or contact 6-TECH at (336) 256-TECH (8324) or [email protected]. |
| Block inbound network traffic that uses known exploit techniques. | Workstations being used as public servers may be inaccessible without the use of VPN or may need to be moved to the ITS datacenter if services need to remain publicly available. |
If you need assistance due to these heightened security measures, please submit a 6-TECH ticket, call 6-TECH at (336) 256-TECH (8324), or email [email protected].
