Many students and employees access online university services during their summer break. To ensure you have uninterrupted access to the services you need the most, remember to add quarterly IT maintenance to your Google Calendar.
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) will perform its next IT quarterly maintenance from 6 a.m. Saturday, July 13 to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 14.
During this maintenance window, OIT will apply critical system updates and security patches as well as perform hardware and equipment maintenance. Campus IT users should expect that many major IT and network services will be degraded or unavailable. These include, but are not limited to:
- MyPack Portal (Self-Service)
- WolfTime, including Kaba web-based timekeeping
- Other Human Resources, Financial and Student systems
- Self-Service Password Management
- OnBase Document Management System
- Red Hat Network Satellite Service
- Campus network storage services
- Campus building networks
Google Workspace and campus authentication services, such as Shibboleth and Duo Security, are expected to function as normal.
Future Extended Maintenance Windows
Additional extended maintenance that can impact campus IT services will be performed:
- Nov. 2-3, 2024
- Feb. 1-2, 2025
- April 5-6, 2025
If you have any questions regarding these maintenance windows, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
For IT maintenance updates, view Service Status on the NC State IT Service Portal.
]]>Much like a thorough spring clean at home, the Office of Information Technology will spend a long weekend in early April applying critical system updates and security patches, and performing hardware and equipment maintenance.
The extended IT maintenance, which will be held from 6 a.m. Saturday, April 6 to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 7, will ensure campus IT services and infrastructure are secure and operational.
During this maintenance period, campus IT users should expect that many major IT and network services will be degraded or unavailable. These include, but are not limited to:
- MyPack Portal (Self-Service)
- WolfTime, including Kaba web-based timekeeping
- Other Human Resources, Financial and Student systems
- Self-Service Password Management
- OnBase Document Management System
- Red Hat Network Satellite Service
- Campus network storage services
Google Workspace and campus authentication services, such as Shibboleth and Duo Security, are expected to function as normal.
Future Extended Maintenance Windows
Additional extended maintenance that can impact campus IT services will be performed:
- July 13-14, 2024
- Nov. 2-3, 2024
- Feb. 1-2, 2025
If you have any questions regarding these maintenance windows, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
For IT maintenance updates, view Service Status on the NC State IT Service Portal.
]]>As you fill your 2024 Google Calendar with important activities and events, don’t forget to include IT maintenance. The Office of Information Technology will perform its next extended IT quarterly maintenance from 6 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4.
Many major IT and network services will be degraded or unavailable during this time. These include, but are not limited to:
- MyPack Portal (Self-Service)
- WolfTime, including Kaba web-based timekeeping
- Other Human Resources, Financial and Student systems
- Self-Service Password Management
- OnBase Document Management System
- Red Hat Network Satellite service
- Campus network storage services
Google Workspace and campus authentication services, such as Shibboleth and Duo Security, are expected to function as normal.
Future Extended Maintenance Windows
Also save the date for these upcoming extended maintenance windows:
- April 6-7, 2024
- July 13-14, 2024
- Nov. 2-3, 2024
If you have any questions regarding these maintenance windows, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
For IT maintenance updates, view Service Status on the NC State IT Service Portal.
]]>The University Data Management Regulation requires each campus dean and vice chancellor to review and certify on an annual basis their staff’s security access to these campus enterprise systems: the Student Information System (SIS), Human Resources (HR) System and Financial (FIN) System.
Review and certification of user access to these systems are critical to ensure the safeguarding of university data against unauthorized use, disclosure or modification, and damage or loss. As a dean or vice chancellor, you have primary responsibility to determine the appropriate degree of security access for your employees and to ensure their compliance with access security standards.
To review your staff’s security access to the SIS, HR and FIN systems, use the Security Report and the Security Exceptions Report in the MyPack Portal.
- Open the MyPack Portal and click on the NavBar compass icon (upper right corner).
- Select Identity Management.
- Select Security Access/SAR.
- Select the Security Report-Dept-6-digit or Security Report-Unit 4-digit OUC level.
The security report now shows both active and inactive employees who are currently assigned to a specific department and have access to the systems. - Select Security Exceptions Report.
This security exceptions report displays individuals who have security access to your department and have either transferred to another department or have left the university.
- Select the Security Report-Dept-6-digit or Security Report-Unit 4-digit OUC level.
Changes or deletions that need to be made to the employee’s access profiles for the SIS, HR and FIN systems should be entered using the SAR application in the MyPack Portal.
To access the SAR application:
- Click on the NavBar compass icon (upper right corner).
- Select Menu and then Identity Management.
- Select Security Access/SAR and then SAR.
For an individual who is no longer in your department, contact the individual’s new department to request access changes or to remove access. Department contacts can be found using the SAR Approver Lookup link at the bottom of any SAR page. Please note that you must be logged into the NC State Virtual Private Network to access the SAR application from off campus.
Once you have reviewed the security access for your staff and submitted the appropriate changes, please certify your review by completing the 2023 Student Information Systems (SIS), Human Resources (HR) and Financial Security Profile Certification form and submitting it by Friday, Nov. 17.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or at 919.515.HELP (4357).
]]>The Office of Information Technology will perform extended IT maintenance from 6 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5.
During this time, campus IT users should expect that many major IT and network services will be degraded or unavailable. These include, but are not limited to:
- MyPack Portal (Self-Service)
- WolfTime, including Kaba web-based timekeeping
- Other Human Resources, Financial and Student systems
- Self-Service Password Management
- OnBase Document Management System
- Red Hat Network Satellite Service
- Campus network storage services
Google Workspace and campus authentication services, such as Shibboleth and Duo Security, are expected to function as normal.
Extended Maintenance Windows
Upcoming extended maintenance that can impact campus IT services will be performed:
- Feb. 3-4, 2024
- April 6-7, 2024
- July 13-14, 2024
If you have any questions regarding these maintenance windows, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
For IT maintenance updates, view Service Status on the NC State IT Service Portal.
]]>In mid-May, the university community was hit by two phishing attacks that allowed hackers to change several employees’ direct-deposit information.
Both fraudulent messages warned campus employees of a “possible exposure to the monkeypox virus” and requested that the email recipient click on a malicious link to review information about a staff member with whom they might have had close contact.
Several recipients clicked on the malicious link and were directed to a fake NC State Shibboleth Login Service web page where they entered their Unity ID and password and then accepted a fraudulent Duo Security push. With the recipients’ Unity credentials, phishers were able to log in to the MyPack Portal and change the recipients’ direct deposit information; to stay undetected, the phishers then deleted the direct deposit confirmation email that was sent to the recipients’ university Gmail account.
While the university continuously reviews its IT security measures and training, you remain its strongest defense against these types of attacks.
To protect against phishing attacks:
- Confirm the sender of the email is valid. The “From” address needs to be NCSU.EDU to be a legitimate NC State message.
- Use your bookmark link for the application you need to access (e.g., MyPack Portal) or open a blank browser tab and type in the URL of the application.
- NEVER provide your Unity ID and password to anyone. NC State IT staff will NEVER ask you for your password.
- Read all email messages carefully. Urgency, fear and catastrophic consequences are common tricks to get you to click. TAKE YOUR TIME!
- Look out for replica pages — both good and bad — of the university’s single sign-on screen.
Like email, check for a valid ncsu.edu domain name. - Always review the Duo “access device location” before you accept a push notification.
The location should match the location where you are logging in from. - Use different passwords for each of your accounts. Use a password manager to keep separate passwords. NC State has licensed LastPass for university use.
- Complete the required annual Data Security Training via REPORTER.
If you believe you have responded to a phishing attack:
- Forward as an attachment any suspicious email with an ncsu.edu address to abuse@ncsu.edu or contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
- Change your password immediately.
- Confirm your direct deposit information in the MyPack Portal. If it is incorrect, contact the help desk as well as the Payroll Office staff at hrpayroll@ncsu.edu or 919.515.4350 so they can begin the process to attempt recovery of any lost funds and inactivate the incorrect account.
- Delete any Gmail filters that may be redirecting your email.
Clicking on a phishing link can result in the inadvertent or even wrongful release of university information and records; it can also result in the release of your personal, sensitive information and potentially give phishers access to your finances. By following the above best practices, you can help prevent such losses from occurring as a result of these attacks.
For more information on how to recognize a phishing email, watch the Protect Yourself From Phishing at NC State video.
]]>The Office of Information Technology will perform extended IT maintenance from 6 a.m. Saturday, July 8 to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 9 that will impact many campus enterprise IT services. This maintenance will involve the shutdown and movement of equipment, hardware replacement and infrastructure configuration.
Availability of IT Services
- During this time, campus IT users should expect that many major IT and network services will be degraded or unavailable. These include, but are not limited to:
- MyPack Portal (Self-Service)
- WolfTime, including Kaba web-based timekeeping
- Other Human Resources, Financial and Student systems
- Self-Service Password Management
- OnBase Document Management System
- Red Hat Network Satellite Service
- Campus network storage services
- Google Workspace and campus authentication services such as Shibboleth and Duo Security are expected to function as normal.
Extended Maintenance Windows
Upcoming extended maintenance that can impact campus IT services will be performed:
- Nov. 4-5, 2023
- Feb. 3-4, 2024
- April 6-7, 2024
If you have any questions regarding these maintenance windows, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
For IT maintenance updates, view Service Status on the NC State IT Service Portal.
]]>NC State is changing how university employees update their Campus Directory listings. This process will now be done via Employee Self Service in the MyPack Portal and will improve the way employees maintain their directory information.
Please note that no data will be migrated from the current directory to Employee Self Service. Employees should review all of their information now in Employee Self Service for accuracy, specifically their directory job title since it has defaulted to their official job classification.
Changes made in Employee Self Service will appear in the online Campus Directory the weekend of April 21, when the new process officially goes live.
To view and update your Campus Directory listing:
- Log in to the MyPack Portal and select the Employee Self Service homepage, the Personal Details tile and then Campus Directory Listing.
- See View and change your information in the Campus Directory.
Note: During the transition, if you need to make changes to your online Campus Directory entry, you will need to do so in both the existing Campus Directory and in Employee Self Service to keep your information up to date.
Departmental Phone Directory and Departmental Directory Listing
No action is required. Departmental administrators will continue to make directory changes via the Campus Directory web page.
If you have additional questions, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
]]>The Office of Information Technology will perform extended IT maintenance from 6 a.m. Saturday, April 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 2 that will impact many campus enterprise IT services. This maintenance will involve the shutdown and movement of equipment, hardware replacement and infrastructure configuration.
Availability of IT Services
- During this time, campus IT users should expect that many major IT and network services will be degraded or unavailable. These include, but are not limited to:
- MyPack Portal (Self-Service)
- WolfTime, including Kaba web-based timekeeping
- Other Human Resources, Financial and Student systems
- Self-Service Password Management
- OnBase Document Management System
- Red Hat Network Satellite service
- Campus network storage services
- Google Workspace and campus authentication services such as Shibboleth and Duo Security are expected to function as normal.
Extended Maintenance Windows
Upcoming extended maintenance that can impact campus IT services will be performed:
- July 8-9, 2023
- Nov. 4-5, 2023
- Feb. 3-4, 2024
If you have any questions regarding these maintenance windows, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
For IT maintenance updates, view Service Status on the NC State IT Service Portal.
]]>Approximately 76% of NC State employees, including student employees, have completed the required Data Security Training as of Feb. 9.
The online training focuses on cybersecurity awareness topics critical to the university, such as phishing, data classification and mobile device security; it is one of many IT resources that can help reduce human error — the leading cause of compromised systems.
The largest groups who are non-compliant include those with “no pay accounts” (e.g., visitors, contractors, retirees) and temporary and student workers. NC State employees provide the first line of defense against cybersecurity attacks that target the entire campus community and are encouraged to complete the annual training.
Employees:
- Can access the training via the REPORTER course management system. See the Upcoming Course Section. New hires will be contacted via email or can register for the training via the Onboarding Checklist in the MyPack Portal.
- Will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successfully reviewing the material. Completion will also be recorded in REPORTER as part of their required training portfolio.
- Will receive, along with their supervisor, email reminders until they have completed the training module.
Supervisors:
- Must verify that their employees have completed the training module. See Reviewing Compliance Warnings for detailed instructions on viewing training records in REPORTER.
- Will continue to be copied on email reminders for their employees who have not completed the training.
Help
If you have questions about the Data Security Training, contact the NC State Help Desk via the NC State IT Service Portal or call 919.515.HELP (4357).
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