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Action needed to prepare campus to print again
Jul 8th, 2021
Computer giving thumbs-up

A security update needs to be installed on all campus computers to safely re-enable printing. Due to the risk of this vulnerability, it is not safe to re-enable printing until enough computers have received this update.

Users can help expedite the return of printing by making sure their computers receive the update as soon as possible.

For Windows 10 devices enrolled in Intune Device Management or UWin Active Directory - the update will be applied automatically. All that needs to be done is to reboot when prompted.

For all other Windows 7 devices and Windows 10 devices not enrolled in Intune or UWin Active Directory - a patch is available and must be manually installed by the user by following these steps:

  1. Open Windows Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update.
  2. Click Check for updates.
  3. A new July patch will automatically start downloading on your device. Make sure that the patch with KB5004945 in the name is one of the patches being installed.
  4. Click on Restart now after the patch is downloaded.

If you have not installed updates on your Windows 7 or unmanaged Windows 10 device in a while, your device may be several patches behind and the install process may take some time. You may have to apply updates and reboot multiple times. Using device management is a way to make this process less painful in the future. Contact IT Services for more information.

If you are still unable to print by the end of the day, contact IT Services as there may be additional steps on your machine that you need to take to be able to print.

Should you have further questions or concerns regarding these update processes, contact the IT Service Desk at 519-253-3000, ext. 4440.

Printing disabled on University devices
Jul 6th, 2021
Printer with red circle and slash superimposed, indicating "do not print"

Printing has been disabled campus-wide in response to a critical Microsoft vulnerability named PrintNightmare.

“The vulnerability is very, very severe,” says Kevin Macnaughton, team leader security, Information Technology Services. “Without blocking this, hackers could very easily take over not only your machine, but also the entire network.”

Other universities, colleges, and organizations have taken similar steps to ensure the safety of their networks. If your printers have not been automatically disabled yet, IT Services strongly advises that you take action to disable printing manually in order to be protected.

Updates will be available regularly on the IT Services webpage. If you have any critical printing needs, a temporary exemption may be available; contact the IT Service Desk at 519-253-3000, ext. 4440, or via live chat in the bottom right corner of www.uwindsor.ca/its or www.uwindsor.ca/itshelp.

University network to block workstations running Windows 7
Jun 16th, 2021
A Windows computer behind bars, as if in jail.

Undocumented workstations running the Windows 7 operating system will be blocked from accessing the University network starting Monday, July 5, as part of the security enhancements under the Y2K20 Project to modernize computer workstations.

“Windows 7 has been out of support since January 2020,” says Marcin Pulcer, assistant director, of Information Technology Services. “Leaving devices running an out-of-date operating system on our network increases the risk not only to the security of your personal, corporate, or research data but also to that of all other users’ data on the University network.”

Once blocked, devices will no longer be able to access the University network. This means that if you are using an undocumented Windows 7 workstation, you will not be able to remote desktop to your device from home, or access the internet, OneDrive files, or other internet-dependent applications.

There are approximately 50 documented Windows 7 devices currently in use. The users of these workstations have been contacted by IT Services via email. Users of these devices will be granted a temporary exception so they can continue to access the University network while the campus is operating remotely.

If your workstation is running Windows 7 and you have not received an email, complete this form by Monday, June 21, to add your computer to the temporary exception list and the worklist to be upgraded to Windows 10.
External email tags enabled on Outlook accounts
Jun 8th, 2021
Outlook logo

External email message tags will be enabled today.

Once rolled out, all emails from external senders will be tagged automatically in Outlook on the Web and mobile clients, as well as Mac Outlook. This feature will boost phishing protection capabilities in Outlook and further enhance the security of University systems and data.

A “mail tip” will appear at the top of the reading pane with the sender’s email address.

illustration of tags location
External tags in Outlook on the web.

tags in iOS
External tags in Outlook on iOS.

External tags will be rolled out to the Outlook for Windows client in a future Office auto update.

External tags to increase security of email
Jun 3rd, 2021
logo of Microsoft Outlook

To boost phishing protection capabilities in Outlook and further enhance the security of University systems and data, Information Technology Services is adding an external email message tag.

The feature will be enabled Tuesday, June 8, and will automatically tag all emails from external senders.

“This new feature helps all of us identify possible spam and phishing attempts, because messages received from outside of UWindsor will be flagged,” says ” says Stephen Karamatos, manager of technology and innovation in IT Services. “This is especially useful on mobile devices, where you see just the name and not the sender’s full email address.”

A “mail tip” will appear at the top of the reading pane with the sender’s email address.

illustration of tags location
External tags in Outlook on the web.

tags in iOS
External tags in Outlook on iOS.

External tags will appear in Outlook on the Web and mobile clients as well as Mac Outlook sometime on June 8 or 9. They will be rolled out to Outlook for Windows client in a future update of Office.