News

Time Keeping (Kronos) Limited – More Compatible & Secure

Due to serious security and compatibility issues with Java, IMSS recommends using Time Keeping (Kronos) Limited instead of regular Time Keeping (Kronos). Time Keeping Limited, the lighter version of Time Keeping, does not require Java and is compatible with all common operating systems and browsers. Time Keeping Limited can also accomplish the same common tasks and functions as regular Time Keeping for employees and managers.

You can login to Time Keeping Limited at http://kronoslimited.caltech.edu. For more information on using Time Keeping Limited, please visit http://imss.caltech.edu/help/KronosTraining.

As a reminder, IMSS strongly recommends using Java only when absolutely necessary and frequently keeping up on security updates. Note that IMSS regularly maintains Java on all Managed Computing PCs.

For questions or concerns, please contact us at http://help.caltech.edu using request type IMSS > Applications-Self Service > Time Keeping (Kronos) > Other.

IMSS Help Desk has moved

Effective Monday, February 25th, the Help Desk and Hardware Repairs are now located in Central Engineering Services (building 85.) The Help Desk is located in Room 204 and Hardware Repairs is in Room 109. Also note that our new mail code is 200-85.

Changes to IMSS Blackberry Services

For several years, IMSS has provided Blackberry Enterprise Services (BES) for Caltech customers who wish to integrate Blackberrys with IMSS Exchange to sync their email, calendars, contacts and tasks. Please note that IMSS will continue to provide BES services to existing Blackberry customers for approximately one year, but we are no longer adding Blackberry devices to our current BES service. Blackberry 10, Blackberry's newest mobile operating system, can natively sync with IMSS Exchange, so BES is no longer necessary to use Blackberry 10 devices at Caltech.

We are making this change in response to the declining number of campus Blackberry customers. With the increasing popularity of iPhone and Android devices at Caltech and elsewhere, we believe this is the most efficient use of our resources. We encourage current BES customers to consider switching to an iPhone, Android or Blackberry 10 at their next opportunity (i.e. when you become eligible for upgrade or your contract is complete and you plan to move to a new wireless carrier). BES customers who wish to keep their current Blackberrys for more than one year will need to migrate to their wireless carrier's Blackberry integration services, commonly known as BIS.

For information on mobile devices and service plans, please contact the Telecommunications Office (x5995). For assistance setting up your mobile device, please contact the Help Desk (x3500, http://help.caltech.edu).

Microsoft Office 2013

Microsoft Office Professional 2013 is now available for download from software.caltech.edu. Please note that Office 2013 is a major product release that include significant changes to the user interface, functionality, application/document compatibility and system performance. IMSS always aims to help our customers avoid complications that could interrupt their productivity, so we strongly recommend that customers evaluate Office 2013 on test systems before installing them on any production systems. Because Office 2013 is new and untested in the Caltech environment, IMSS can provide best-efforts support, but we can't guarantee that these products will be compatible with the systems and services our customers most commonly use. IMSS will continue to evaluate Office 2013 over the coming months and we will update our support pages accordingly.

Serious Java 1.7.x Vulnerability

A serious vulnerability has been found in Java 1.7, which allows execution of arbitrary code on the victim's computer. All that is necessary for exploitation to occur is to inadvertently visit a malicious website using a browser with Java 1.7.x enabled.

Oracle has released a new update to address this security issue, Java 1.7 Update 13. While we urge you to apply this update immediately, we also recommend leaving Java disabled unless you are intentionally using a site where it is required. Instructions for disabling Java can be found here or here.

Note that IMSS Managed Computing workstations are not running Java 1.7 and are not affected by this vulnerability, however we continue to recommend leaving Java disabled unless it is required.

Don't Be Fooled By Messages Asking For Your Caltech Username And Password

Many campus users are receiving email claiming to come from an IT support group (sometimes even IMSS or the Help Desk), asking for the user's password and other private information, or requesting that you "verify your account" by logging into a website. Please be aware that this is a form of security attack known as "phishing" designed to fool users into giving their usernames and passwords to an attacker. Please do not reply to these messages or visit any websites they may refer to. IMSS does not recommend providing usernames and passwords by email, and IMSS will never ask users for their passwords by email or by phone under any circumstances. When visiting a website, be sure to check the address bar on your browser to confirm that the site you're visiting is the one you were expecting. If you receive any confusing or worrisome email messages about any of your Caltech accounts, we strongly recommend contacting the IMSS Help Desk (395-3500 or http://help.caltech.edu) or your local system administrator. In the event that your password is exposed to an attacker, please be sure never to use that password again, for any purpose, and particularly never for the account it once belonged to.

Example:

Where Are the Application Links?

As part of the IMSS website redesign, we’ve moved our applications links to the access.caltech homepage (http://access.caltech.edu) so all of our applications can be accessed from a single place. Note that applications status and news can still be found on the IMSS website. If you have trouble locating an application, please contact us at http://help.caltech.edu.

Caltech VPN Compatibility with Mountain Lion

The current version of the Caltech VPN Client (Cisco AnyConnect) has, in limited testing, been found to be compatible with the Mountain Lion release of Mac OS. Users who have not connected to VPN in a month or more should establish a VPN connection to obtain the current version of the client before upgrading to Mountain Lion. Users for whom using VPN is critical may want to wait and see whether any issues do arise.

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