iPad Air coming November 1st

The iPad Air is a thinner and lighter iPad, weighing only 1 pound. This is the fifth generation iPad with a 9.7 inch display. The pricing starts at $499 for a 16GB version with WiFi. More details are available here.

Ransomware

New Malware is evolving allowing new viruses to encrypt data/files on users' computers. Only way to get your data/file is to pay the ransom. These viruses are now being called Ransomware such as Reveton or Crypto Locker, and they attempt to extort money from victims by encrypting or blocking access to their data without their knowledge, then demanding a ransom in order to undo the damage, according to police and FBI officials.
Learn more about how to avoid ransomware and how to detect it.

                     http://www.microsoft.com/security/resources/ransomware-whatis.aspx

Antivirus for Mac OS, ClamXav

Contrary to common knowledge, Apple products are not immune to viruses and malware. As Apple products and OS X become more and more popular, so does the creation of new viruses for the platform. Fortunately, there is a reliable antivirus program for Mac OS X. ClamXav is easy to install and easy to use.  The program can be downloaded here. Once downloaded, the site also has a guide for installation and use.

Link to ClamXav guide.

New iOS is on the way

Apple just announced that a new redesigned OS for their mobile devices will be released on Sept. 18. iOS 7 will make your old phone seem new again. On Sept. 18 do the following on your iOS device, settings\general\software update. Make sure that you make a backup copy of your device before applying the update.  http://www.cgu.edu/PDFFiles/oit/helpdesk/Back-Up.iOS.using.iTunes.pdf

Amazon MatchBook Service Provides eBooks for Printed Books

Amazon MatchBook is a new service that will provide ebooks for print books that were purchased since 1995. The service will cost a small fee and will launch in October. More information here.

Recent Reports of DHS-Themed Ransomware

National Cyber Awareness System:

Recent Reports of DHS-Themed Ransomware (UPDATE)

07/30/2013 10:57 AM EDT

Original release date: July 30, 2013

US-CERT has received reports of increased activity concerning an apparently DHS-themed ransomware malware infection occurring in the wild. Users who are being targeted by the ransomware receive a message claiming that use of their computer has been suspended and that the user must pay a fine to unblock it. One iteration of this malware also takes a webcam (if available) photo or video of a recipient and posts it in a pop-up to add to the appearance of legitimacy. The ransomware falsely claims to be from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Division.
Users who are infected with the malware should consult with a reputable security expert to assist in removing the malware, or perform a clean reinstallation of their OS after formatting their computer's hard drive.
US-CERT and DHS encourage users and administrators not to pay the perpetrators and to report the incident to the FBI at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Use caution when encountering these types of email messages and take the following preventive measures to protect themselves from phishing scams and malware campaigns that attempt to frighten and deceive a recipient for the purpose of illegal gain.

?         Do not click on or submit any information to webpages.

?         Do not follow unsolicited web links in email messages.

?         Use caution when opening email attachments. Refer to the Security Tip Using Caution with Email Attachments for more information on safely handling email attachments.

?         Maintain up-to-date antivirus software.

?         Users who are infected should change all passwords AFTER removing the malware from their system.

?         Refer to the Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams (pdf) document for more information on avoiding email scams.

Refer to the Security Tip Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks for more information on social engineering attacks.

Using the Barracuda Spam Firewall

Barracuda can be a helpful spam management tool. This will give some tips on how to use Barracuda.

The Barracuda access URL is https://mailfilter.cgu.edu. From there, you can log in or download the Outlook add-in (fig. 1)

When the add-in is installed, it will show up in Outlook. The “Mark as Spam” and “Mark as Not Spam” buttons will help Barracuda learn which emails to block or let through (fig. 2). To login, the username is your email address. If you don’t know your password, you can click the “Create New Password” button and it will be sent to your email (fig. 3) Once logged into Barracuda, you can edit your blacklist and whitelist as well as change your spam settings. Email addresses and domains on the blacklist will be automatically blocked and whitelisted addresses and domains will be automatically sent through (fig. 4).

The email scoring system determines how aggressive Barracuda is at blocking possible spam. Remember that the lower the number, the more possibility Barracuda will tag/quarantine/block possible spam (fig. 5).