IT News 2018 | Information Technology | Services | NWU

	Password Notification System 10/12/2018 - 15:41 Please take note of the New Password Notification System that will be sent before a password expires. All users will receive a notification when their password is about to expire. The notification will be sent via email on 3 occasions: five, two and one day, before your password expires. Please change your password immediately if you receive this notification. Please go to https://password.nwu.ac.za read more
	Ransomware tips to protect yourself 10/01/2018 - 10:15 RANSOMEWARE A growing cyber security threat - but there are things you can do... read more
	Fix your incorrect browser caching for the NWU website 09/25/2018 - 14:20 / /-->*/ After recent issues with the NWU website, it has come to our attention that some people may still see the web errors on their own individual devices (even though the site is up and running): Examples: read more
	Office Telephones: Change Service Class & Pick Groups 09/25/2018 - 08:48 Office Telephones: Change Service Class & Pick Groups The Service Class determines what type of calls may be made from the extension, e.g. Internal (on campus or between campuses) or International. Pick groups enable a pre-set group of extensions to answer each other’s calls from any extension in the group. read more
	New IThelp starting 3 September 2018 08/28/2018 - 16:17 Introducing the new IT-Help: Why are we changing? The benefits of the new system are as follows... Develop and implement a single and repeatable Incident Management and Request Fulfillment solution to replace “IT-Help”. Clearly define the roles and responsibilities required to execute the activities of Incident Management and Request Fulfillment processes. What added features benefit the change? To align all IT staff and student service desks of the three campuses. Identify the key policies that support the Incident Management and Request Fulfillment processes. read more
	What is phishing emails? 08/13/2018 - 10:42 In this video, you will learn about Phishing and how to protect yourself from Phishing scams. Click the picture to see more... read more
	Single sign-on 07/16/2018 - 09:52 Too many passwords? Single Sign-On (SSO) is mechanism whereby a single action of user authentication and authorization (NWU# and password) can permit a user to access all computers and systems where he has access permission, without the need to enter multiple passwords. What is the benefit? Single sign-on reduces any error and frustration that might occur during login. Click to follow the guidelines... read more
	IT@NWU Annual yearbook 07/03/2018 - 12:20 IT always aims to align itself with the institutional vision, mission and goals, and whenever there are major changes we re-evaluate our current strategies. An exciting 2018 awaits. Click the image to Reflect with us on 2017. read more
	Install Malwarebytes 06/29/2018 - 10:13 Get peace of mind with multi-device protection for you and your home. No one tool (antivirus) can catch everything, which is why security experts recommend a layered approach. Installing Malwarebytes will act as an extra set of eyes looking at threats from a different angle... Click to read more... read more
	Nate 2018 06/22/2018 - 11:20 National ASAUDIT Technology Event: 19-21 June 2018 IT@NWU have again won the prize for the most presentations at NATE... Click to read more... The purpose of ASAUDIT is to promote and advance the use and support of computing. read more
	Back IT UP 06/19/2018 - 10:28 Personal Backup Plan? Do you have one? The only way to protect yourself against valuable data loss is through regular backups. Ideally, important files should be backed up at minimum once a week, or every day, depending on how critical they are to you. Click to view Infographic read more
	Stop Ransomware 06/13/2018 - 09:33 "Ransomware is a type of attack that encrypts your computer, phones, or mobile devices. Hackers will then demand that you pay a ransom to regain access to your information. Once a device is infected, it's too late to recover the "hostage" information. Everyone should understand the effects of ransomware and be prepared before an attack occurs. Increase awareness on your campus by customizing and sharing the following content." Read more Or alternatively see infographic for a quick overview read more
	5 Outrageous email statistics 06/06/2018 - 12:54 Almost half of all email content is spam! Only 55% of emails contain legitimate content, while the rest falls into the spam category. Clearly, our spam filters are working harder than ever – but how many spam emails is that in total? read more... read more
	Meet Motlokwe Thobejane newly appointed Director IT Vaal Triangle Campus 05/23/2018 - 16:33 Besides VTC’s IT director, Motlokwe Thobejane is “co-founder of Mohlotlo Thuto Foundation. He is a blogger, and also United Nations (UN) Volunteer. Motlokwe is an IT specialist and holds a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Informatics. He is passionate about writing, education and youth development.” On 2 March 2018, one month after he joined IT on 1 February, Motlokwe Thobejane appeared on an episode of BUAtv where the focus was on Information Technology. He gave invaluable information with regards to why the IT department is doing so much more than meets the eye… To view this episode, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtelB3PwX1I read more
	Data Carpentry Workshop 05/10/2018 - 16:06 Data Carpentry develops and teaches workshops on the fundamental data skills needed to conduct research. Its target audience is researchers who have little to no prior computational experience, and its lessons are domain specific, building on learners' existing knowledge to enable them to quickly apply skills learned to their own research. Participants will be encouraged to help one another and to apply what they have learned to their own research problems. More information... read more
	Online Cyber Security Advice 05/07/2018 - 15:08 The internet is a shared resource, and securing it is Our Shared Global Responsibility. LOCK DOWN YOUR LOGIN Your usernames and passwords are not enough to protect key accounts like email, banking and social media. Strengthen online accounts and use strong authentication tools - like biometrics, security keys or a unique, one-time code through an app on your mobile device - whenever offered. KEEP A CLEAN MACHINE Keep all software on internet-connected devices - including personal computers, smartphones and tablets - current to reduce risk of infection from ransomware and malware. read more
	Beef up your physical security 05/03/2018 - 15:04 With the threat of hacking, malware, phishing, and other digital threats constantly looming, it can be easy to overlook the importance of communicating physical security. A few basic physical security tips can substantially improve the security risk profile. Read more... Click to view video read more
	Top 10 IT issues 2018 in Higher Education 04/16/2018 - 09:23 Educause Research Snapshot The 2018 Top Ten IT issues shows how digital technology is remaking higher education through four key themes: Institutional adaptiveness Improved student outcomes Improved decision-making IT adaptiveness click to read more... read more
	figshare pilot credit for all your research 04/11/2018 - 14:37 The NWU Library and Information Service in conjunction with IT services and the Research Office as part of eResearch initiative is running a 6 month pilot of the figshare platform which started at the beginning of April 2018. NWU figshare pilot platform may be accessed here : https://nwu.figshare.com Click picture to read more read more
	2018 Key Issues in Teaching and Learning 03/22/2018 - 09:15 Each year, ELI surveys the higher education community to determine key issues and opportunities in post-secondary teaching and learning. These key issues serve as the framework, or focal points, for our discussions and programming throughout the coming year. More than 900 community members voted on the following key issues for 2018. Click to download more information... read more
	Cybersecurity 101 Cyber Privacy 03/12/2018 - 15:20 Learn what can happen when you post information online with this video from the NOVA Cybersecurity Lab. When you upload something to a social media site, that information is stored on the website’s server. People can access your information from a website’s server, including governments, advertisers, and identity thieves. You could unintentionally reveal personal information, including your full name, address, and phone number through an innocent post. Identity thieves can use this information to access your bank account and the accounts of your friends, jeopardizing their personal information, too. In fact, over 10 million Americans have their identities stolen every year. Click to view video read more
	Cybersecurity 101 Cyber Codes 03/08/2018 - 14:56 Learn how encryption keeps online information private in this video from the NOVA Cybersecurity Lab. Your messages are coded by email programs and websites to prevent others from reading them. Codes have been used in messages for centuries. Caesar sent coded messages to his military in ancient Rome. In the 1940s, the Allied forces cracked the German Enigma Code, saving lives during World War II. Today, emails are protected through public-key cryptography, which uses numbers from both the sending and receiving email servers to create a key. However, not all online activity is encrypted and in some cases your browsing history, text messages, and data from apps can be intercepted. read more
	First of its kind 03/08/2018 - 12:55 First Carpentries Instructor Workshop of 2018 On 21-23 February 2018, the fourth South African Carpentries instructor training for African based instructors took place in Kleinmond, Western Cape. The workshop was funded through the Rural Campuses Connection Project Phase II (RCCPII) Tertiary. Read more... read more
	The secret life of hackers 02/26/2018 - 10:14 Learn about different types of hackers with this video from the NOVA Cybersecurity Lab. Hacking is solving problems in creative or unexpected ways. Hacks have been used for everything from Galileo’s telescope to Apollo 13. Similarly, there are many reasons that people hack computers. Some are just curious about how systems work, others hack to find and fix security flaws before they are exploited by criminals. Some hackers have bad intentions fueled by greed, attention, or rebellion. There are some hackers who have good intentions, but use questionable methods of getting information. “Hacking” isn’t good or bad – it depends on how and why people hack. read more
	Password Handling 02/26/2018 - 09:31 Your password expires every 90 days. This is the password you use in conjunction with your NWU# to gain access to the majority of IT services. With this in mind - always use hard to guess passwords Don't use obvious passwords like "password," "cat," or obvious character sequences on the qwerty keyboard like "asdfg" and "12345." It's better to use complex passwords. Include different letter cases, numbers, and even punctuation. Try to use different passwords for different websites and computers. So if one gets hacked, your other accounts aren't compromised watch the video. read more
	Cybersecurity 101 02/20/2018 - 11:24 Learn why protecting your information online is crucial with this video from the NOVA Cybersecurity Lab. The Internet was originally designed to connect large computers at universities, businesses, and governments. It grew exponentially once personal computers became common in the 1980s. Connecting to the Internet leaves computers vulnerable. People can use computers to delete data, spread viruses, or even steal someone’s identity. The good news is that there are several ways to stay safe online. You can learn about protecting information by trying coding, password cracking, and spotting email scams in NOVA’s Cybersecurity Lab. read more
	Telkom Automated Teleconferencing 02/16/2018 - 09:09 Telkom's automated teleconferencing: “allows any business, big or small, to make and enact decisions in real time, in response to current events...” (Click on the image above to download the procedure) read more
	IT Self-Help postcards 02/07/2018 - 14:29 IT Self-Help postcards click here for complete information set A quick and easy way to answer your most pressing IT questions / 'n Handige hulpmiddel, indien u opsoek is na 'n vinnige IT antwoord. read more
	NWU hosts the largest computer programming school in Africa 01/22/2018 - 12:47 read more