Effective February 27, 2023, OIT will implement Duo Two-Factor authentication changes to our application. As mentioned in our recent newsletter, our campus has recently experienced a new cybercriminal threat where hackers attempt to access an account. This is accomplished by repeatedly attempting to send Duo requests until the end user approves the Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) prompts. This method is referred to as “MFA Fatigue.” Continue reading Safeguarding SMU with Duo: New Anomalous Protection
Author: Laurene Klassen
Laurene Klassen grew up in New England but came to Texas as fast as she could. SMU was one of the first spots she visited in Dallas. Laurene is a Microsoft Certified Trainer and Assistant Director of SMU’s IT Training & Communications Team. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and outdoor activities with her family.
Investigating the Federal Court’s PACER System: Collaboration Improves Access
The Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center provides service-improvement consultations to state and federal public defense providers around the nation. Recently, the Deason Center collaborated with OIT to better utilize the federal courts’ Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service. The Center needed to access and download several thousand records, as quickly and as efficiently as possible. So, they turned to OIT for help.
We had the opportunity to discuss the PACER project with Lane Duncan, Assistant Director of Integration Services in OIT, and learn about the success of this initiative.
Continue reading Investigating the Federal Court’s PACER System: Collaboration Improves Access
SMU Infrastructure Improvements Continue
In mid-December, the OIT infrastructure team worked to add additional wireless access points in Dallas Hall. Their efforts aid SMU in providing better wireless performance for high-density areas. The building previously had 28 wireless access points and now contains over 60. These technical improvements also enhanced Wi-Fi connections in larger classrooms. Continue reading SMU Infrastructure Improvements Continue
From Pick-Up Game to Research Innovation: Atlas of a Worm
Who would have thought that a simple question over a highly competitive game of Sand Volleyball at the Dedman Rec Center would result in a fascinating visualization project for the Data and Application Services team? “Would you have any research that we could assist with data visualization?” Eric Macy, IT Assistant Director of Enterprise Data Services, asked Dr. Adam Norris. The two of them spoke, and Dr. Norris, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, was intrigued and agreed to a meeting.
While Dr. Norris had some familiarity with data visualization, the team was able to Continue reading From Pick-Up Game to Research Innovation: Atlas of a Worm
DUO: A Substantial Expansion
Six years ago, SMU implemented DUO to protect our data proactively. Since introducing two-factor authentication (2FA), we have seen quite an expansion throughout our services.
We first implemented DUO in 2016 to protect access to my.SMU and later webmail for our faculty and staff as passwords can often be stolen, guessed, and hacked, and we needed a solution to secure our data better. Once our faculty and staff gained familiarity with DUO, it was introduced to students on April 1, 2019, through our “Security is No Joke” campaign. Continue reading DUO: A Substantial Expansion
