Office of Educational Technology
November 2017 OET Newsletter
Update Macs Running High Sierra Now
Apple released a critical security update for macOS 10.13.1, High Sierra, yesterday. The update, 2017-001, fixes a vulnerability that allows anyone to log in as root without a password. Root is a superuser with elevated privileges, including read and write access to system areas and to other user accounts on the computer. If you run High Sierra on a Mac, it’s important to install this update as soon as possible.
OET has pushed a script to all Macs enrolled in our Apple device management tool, JAMF, to block this flaw. However, the security update should still be applied. To update your Macintosh, go to the Apple menu, select the App Store, and select Security Update 2017-001 to install. The update does not require a reboot.
Some clients have reported issues with file sharing after applying this update, and Apple has since outlined steps to repair file sharing if necessary. More information on the security update is available from Apple.
November’s Phish Stats Leave Room for Improvement
As part of IT’s Take a Bite out of Phish campaign, 7,119 UD employees received a phishing email this month from “Michel” who asked that they review his attached resume. The good news is that only 465 employees clicked to download the fake file for a 6.53% click rate; however, until we reach a 0% click rate, there is room for improvement. Of these employees, 154 were first-time clickers and 311 were repeat clickers.
Phishing attempts are especially prevalent during the holiday season. Popular schemes may involve sales that are too good to be true, fake purchase invoices, or notifications of shipping status.
Please encourage your colleagues to be vigilant and not to click on any links or attachments, if they are unsure about who sent a message. Instead, report the phish to reportaphish@udel.edu or contact OET.
Discounts on Holiday Purchases
The University offers academic pricing on some Apple and Dell products for personal purchases. If a computer is on your holiday list, then you may want to check out Dell’s current promotional page or Apple’s education website before heading to the store.
To save money, you can skip pre-installation of Microsoft Office on your new computer. The University participates in the Office 365 for Education program that allows faculty, staff and students to download Microsoft Office on their personal computers at no charge. Faculty and staff can continue to use Office while actively employed and students can use Office while enrolled in UD classes.