UAB Information Security recently discovered a new spam campaign where users are tricked into opening an email attachment that contains a virus aimed at stealing passwords and financial information.  As with any suspicious email messages you may receive, please report them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for inspection.

The recent spam email messages are crafted to look like they came from one of several legitimate companies such as Chase Bank, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Department of Treasury, Dun & Bradstreet Financial Services or a wire transfer company. You should be aware that these emails are forged and that none of the information included in the email can be trusted including embedded links, e-mail addresses or phone numbers.

Here are some of the common email subject lines we have seen in this spam campaign:

•  FW: Company 2013 Report

•  Incoming Wire Transfer Notification

•  D&B iUpdate: Company Order Requested

•  Department of Treasury Notice of Outstanding Obligation – Case ######

•  Better Business Bureau Complaint Case #######

•  Merchant Billing Statement

•  ACTION REQUIRED: A document has arrived for your review/approval (Document Flow Manager)

This page summarizes all of the online request form links available for services provided by IT.  To inquire about services not listed contact AskIT (uab.edu/askit or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). 

• Request guest wifi access, manage an existing wifi account or request any other Telecommunications service
  - https://commservices.comm.uab.edu/ServiceRequest/login.aspx
• Request a Desktop Web Conference account, conference bridge, add/relocate a telephone or network jack, etc.  - https://commservices.comm.uab.edu/ServiceRequest/login.aspx
• Report problems with your telephone or data service 
  - https://commservices.comm.uab.edu/Trouble/Login.aspx
   

• Usage toward UAB email and UABFile
• Request changes to your email service

• Request a BlazerID and password
• Change an existing password
• Set up a personal web space 

• Request a new user account (mailboxes, file storage, imaging systems or WebIT)
• Delete or modify and existing account (access to mailboxes, file storage, imaging systems or WebIT)
   

• Sponsors and guests can set up guest user accounts to access a myriad of UAB systems and services

• Request that courses in the Academic Institute be updated - courses can be cross listed; opened or closed; assigned instructors, designers or teacher's assistants; or have previous content imported to them - https://www.uab.edu/it/instech/auth/acad_form.html

• To report any incident to UAB Data Security that involves violations of UAB IT-related policies or involving UAB data or computer systems -https://silo.dso.uab.edu/incident/
• The process for secure media destruction at UAB can be found here.

• From your Central IT supported PC, log in at https://www.uab.edu/it/itds/dtadmin with your BlazerID and strong password to request local administrator rights
   

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Best Practices for Internal Electronic Communications  

UAB has developed several options for internal electronic communications. Please review the following instructions to determine the appropriate method of communication to best serve your purposes in compliance with UAB guidelines.

The eReporter

The eReporter, an electronic newsletter, is companion to the print UAB Reporter and is the recommended alternative to sending mass e-mails. It is distributed twice-weekly to all UAB faculty and staff and subscribers. To submit news and/or information for publication, use the publicity request form online at www.uab.edu/reporter. Deadlines are Monday and Thursday at 10 a.m. for publication on Tuesdays/Fridays.

GreenMail

GreenMail is an electronic newsletter distributed once a week during the fall and spring semesters and every other week during the summer to all UAB students and subscribers. It is the recommended alternative to sending mass e-mails. To submit news and/or information for publication, use the publicity request form online at www.uab.edu/greenmail. The deadline is 10 a.m. Tuesday for publication on Wednesdays.

UAB Campus Calendar

The UAB Campus Calendar is the central location for promoting all UAB campus events. Deadlines vary by sub-calendar; submit items for inclusion at least two business days in advance of event at www.uab.edu/calendar.

BlazerNet

BlazerNET offers two options of communication that can target members of the UAB community based on their status as faculty, staff or student.

Area Specific Channels are used to regularly provide ongoing information and services to particular groups about particular topics. For example, channels on BlazerNET’s Faculty Resources tab are designed specifically to deliver information to faculty; those on the Student Resources tab specifically for students.

Targeted Announcements are usually used for discrete events or one-time delivery of timely information.

To request a new BlazerNET channel or Targeted Announcement, sign in to BlazerNET and click on the help button in the upper right corner. A pop-up box will appear, from which you can select “Request a New Channel” or “Request a Targeted Announcement” on the left side, as shown below. For more detailed instructions, please follow the link below. Requests for a new BlazerNET channel or Targeted Announcement are reviewed by the BlazerNET Operating Committee and must be submitted five business days prior to the required start date.

BlazerNET Instructions

E-Mail Lists

For ongoing communications with specific groups within the UAB community, the following options are available based on the purpose of the communications.

Listservs

Listservs are used for a defined, static audience of information recipients and are necessary for lists that include recipients outside of UAB. The audience can be determined through self-subscription, or a list owner can add and remove recipients. Listservs may be set up as a one-way distribution outlet or as a virtual discussion community to which all members can post information. To request a Listserv, contact the AskIT Help Desk at 996-5555. Once the ticket is generated, you will need to attach an e-mail from your supervisor stating approval (to speed the process, please ask your supervisor to send their approval e-mail prior to opening the ticket). These requests are handled by Infrastructure Services. Please allow seven business days for the request to be processed.

Dynamic E-Mail Lists

Dynamic e-mail services are most often used for one-way information delivery to audiences whose composition may change from day or day, or even more often. Rather than relying upon statically defined memberships, each use of these services constructs its list of recipients in real-time. Distribution lists are typically developed for specific instances of communication such as sending to a specific department, a school or all occupants of a building. To request a distribution list, contact the AskIT Help Desk at 996-5555. These requests are handled by Infrastructure Services. Please allow seven business days for the request to be processed.

Mass E-Mails

Any one-time message addressed to multiple recipients that needs to be sent from a “special” address rather than a user’s personal address is considered a mass e-mail. Mass e-mails sent to all faculty, staff and students are reserved for special circumstances and require special permissions based upon organizational hierarchy. Ultimately, these requests will require approval from the Office of the Provost. Please contact AskIT at 996-5555 to initiate the process. Once the permissions are granted, Central IT will construct the lists and send the e-mail. When submitting your request, please indicate the required send date and allow seven business days for completion of the request. These requests are handled by Infrastructure Services.

Requirements for Mass E-Mails

Personal Distribution Lists

You may want to manage your own personal distribution list for groups that you will need to e-mail more than once. When sending your message, please keep in mind that the size limit for attachments is 30MB. Click on the link below for instructions on how to construct a personal distribution list in Microsoft Outlook. Alternatively, you can create a list of e-mails separated by semicolons in a Notepad document and save it. When you are ready to use the list, simply copy and pasted the e-mail addresses into the “Bcc” field (this provides privacy for your recipients, especially if some of them are non-UAB).

Instructions for Personal Distribution Lists in MS Outlook

UAB Global Address Book

Lists maintained in the UAB Global Address Book are for UAB personnel only. They are reserved for a defined, static audience of ongoing information recipients. To set up a group e-mail distribution list in the Address Book, please contact the AskIT Help Desk at 996-5555. Once the ticket is generated and approved, lists are set up by Infrastructure Services and managed by the Departmental OU Administrator. Please allow 24-36 hours for the request to be processed.

Quick Guide to Internal Outlets/Deadlines

EREPORTER

Audience: All UAB faculty and staff

Deadlines: Monday and Thursday at 10 a.m. for publication on Tuesdays/Fridays

http://www.uab.edu/news/reporter/request-publicity

GREENMAIL

Audience: All UAB students (at all levels, in all schools)

Deadline: Tuesday at 10 a.m. for publication on Wednesdays

http://www.uab.edu/publicity

UAB CAMPUS CALENDAR

Audience: UAB community and public at large

Deadlines vary; submission recommended at least two business days in advance of event

https://www.uab.edu/mastercalendar/

UAB REPORTER

Audience: UAB faculty and staff

Deadline: Publication is produced and distributed on campus every other Monday during the academic year with the exception of winter holidays. It is always posted online at www.uab.edu/reporter; in the summer months, it is not actually printed and distributed, just posted.

Request publication of news and information via http://www.uab.edu/news/reporter/request-publicity.

Work directly with Editor Linda Gunter at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for out-of-the-ordinary editorial submissions; work directly with Assistant Editor Traci Bratton at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you have a back-page ad request.

• Exchange accounts for students are retained for 1 year after the student leaves UAB.
• For faculty and staff, the retention period is 3 months.

For more information on how to manage your address following deletion, click here.

PROBLEM:

• What is the URL used to let me send email from outside UAB?
  
• How do I authenticate in order to send e-mail to an off-campus address when I am also off-campus?
  
• How often do I need to authenticate?

A mail relay authentication is required when sending email from off-campus to an off-campus address, if you are using UAB's SMTP mail service.

SOLUTION:

The URL is: www.dpo.uab.edu/relay-info.html

The authorization is based on allowing e-mail to relay from a specific dial-up address, so you must submit the authentication once each time you connect to your ISP. Do the authentication after you connect and before you try to send mail. If you stay connected for more than a couple of hours at a time, you should take advantage of the function to automatically renew your authorization every half hour. It may be easier to set your home PC to use the SMTP server recommended by your ISP. This way, you will not have to authenticate at all.

How to find email headers in Outlook 2007/2010/2011 for Mac and Outlook Web App

Outlook 2007

1. Open a message.
2. On the Message tab, in the Options group, select the Dialog Box Launcher.
3. In the Message Options dialog box, the headers appear in the Internet headers box.

Outlook 2010

1. Open a message.
2. Select the File tab.
3. Once on the File tab, select the Properties button.
4. After selecting Properties, look under the Internet headers section for the email headers.

Outlook 2011 for Macintosh

1. Control-Click (Right-click) on message. Select Source.

Outlook Web App

1. Open a message
2. Select the message details button ( ).
3. Look under the Internet Mail Headers section for the email headers.

If you have any problems with delays or other issues, the email headers are a critical component in discovering the cause of an issue. Once you get the email headers, you can send them to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call the helpdesk at 996-5555.

Internet hoaxes are rumors you receive by e-mail, usually accompanied by the suggestion that you forward copies of this information to "Everyone you know".

Sometimes computer viruses are distributed this way; in other cases, this behavior constitutes a nuisance by creating large amounts of junk e-mail.

SOLUTION:

You should be suspicious of any message that encourages you to "notify everyone you know", *EVEN* when you know the person who sent you the message. Your friends may not know as much about Internet hoaxes as you do.

List of known hoaxes can be found at:

                List_of_hoaxes 1   List_of_hoaxes 2