Blog Highlights: Dear Students

Sunday, September 25, 2005

The following message was sent to all faculty, staff, and students:

A new e-mail virus is spreading quickly around the Internet. The "Mytob" virus tries to trick you into opening its attachment by faking a message from official-sounding Hope College e-mail accounts like:
register@hope.edu
admin@hope.edu
webmaster@hope.edu
service@hope.edu

The body of the message may say something like:
" Your account has been suspended..."
" You've successfully changed your password..."
" Your e-mail account was used to send a huge amount of unsolicited spam..."

If you receive messages like this, please delete them immediately, and do not open the attachment.

If you have already opened the attachment on a Windows computer (Macs are not affected), it is likely that your computer is actively sending this virus to others. Instructions for removing the virus are available at:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.mytob.js@mm.html

Please note that while there are sometimes "one-click" removal tools available to assist with removing viruses, currently there is not one available for this particular infection. If you have opened the attachment and are either not comfortable with following these instructions or are not able to complete them, please disconnect the Ethernet cable from your computer to prevent the virus from being spread further. If you connect using wireless, please turn the computer off. Then, use a lab computer to check the CIT website (http://www.hope.edu/cit) for more details.

Thank you...

- Jeff Pestun, CIT

Summer 2005

CAMPUSMAIL DISTRIBUTION (From CIT)

Dear Students -

We hope that your summer has been enjoyable and that you are looking forward to returning to campus in a few weeks. There are a few items of which we wanted to make you aware prior to start of classes:

+ CABLE TV: Cable TV will be available to all students in on-campus housing at no extra cost this year. There is no sign up process, no monthly fees, etc. If you have problems with your cable service on campus or would like to order HBO, please call 1-888-COMCAST

+ UPDATE YOUR COMPUTER: We are asking that all students install Hope College's Symantec antivirus software (free), install all Windows Updates and turn off Windows "File and Printer Sharing" before they return to campus & connect to the network. More information about completing these steps is available here:
http://www.hope.edu/resources/cit/tips/securitytips.html

+ BRING YOUR SYSTEM CDS: Last year CIT repaired more than 600 student computers that were infected with spyware, adware and viruses. From time to time it becomes necessary to rebuild student systems and the original system CDs that came with your computer are necessary to do this.

+ CONNECTHOPE FAIRS: If you have trouble connecting to the campus network/Internet, please visit one of our ConnectHope Fairs at the times listed below. For those of you who are returning early, please note the Fairs scheduled prior to freshmen arriving on campus, as you may want to take advantage of those!

All ConnectHope Fairs will be held in the CIT Office (not basement). You are required to be present while CIT staff works on your computer.

** Thursday, August 18: 9-11 a.m., 2-4 p.m.

** Tuesday, August 23: 9-11 a.m., 2-4 p.m.
** Thursday, August 25: 9-11 a.m., 2-4 p.m.
** Friday, August 26: 2-9 p.m.
** Saturday, August 27: noon-4 p.m.

** Monday, August 29: 2-9 p.m.
** Tuesday, August 30: 5-9 p.m.
** Thursday, September 1: 5-9 p.m.

+ CHECK OUT OUR NEW BLOG: http://www.hope.edu/cit/ -- lots of information on what we've been working on lately.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

- Jeff Pestun, CIT