Change Coming to Email Login Experience

Modern Authentication will be enabled for supported email clients on Sunday, Sept. 26. This change is necessary to strengthen UF’s security posture: “Modern Auth” provides a more secure login experience and allows usage of multi-factor authentication for supported email clients.

How Does This Change the User Experience?
Anyone who uses an email client that supports Modern Auth will initially see a change in their login experience. After Sept. 26, users will receive a prompt similar to the login.ufl.edu webpage. Users of MS Teams, or the Outlook for iOS/Android login procedure, will be familiar with this new experience. When Modern Auth is implemented, users will also validate with multi-factor authentication. Once successfully authenticated, users will not be prompted for a password again until:

1. Their GatorLink password is changed or expires.
2. Their supported email client is inactive for more than 90 days.

What is NOT happening?
Basic authentication is NOT being disabled. UF email clients using basic authentication (e.g., IMAP and older versions of Outlook) will continue to work as expected.

Whenever a change is made to email, there is always a concern that someone may inadvertently fall victim to email scams intended to steal UF login credentials. Anyone with questions or concerns about the legitimacy of an email should contact the UF Computing Help Desk (132 HUB, helpdesk@ufl.edu, 352-392-HELP/4357).

Tips for Multi-Factor Authentication Efficiency

Since UF adopted multi-factor authentication (MFA), the number of compromised GatorLink accounts has decreased by 99.7%. Using the multi-factor authentication app provides additional protection to the university’s systems and services. This means your personal information as well as your research files, proposals, and all university data, is better secured.

Tips to enhance your MFA experience:

1. Add a second device to your MFA account, in case your primary device is lost or stolen. UFIT created a short video explaining how to add a device.
2. Use a passcode to authenticate even without an internet connection or cell service. Open the Duo app, then tap the University of Florida drop-down tab on the home screen. Type in the six-digit code provided when logging into UF services.
3. Check the “Remember Me” option to not be prompted to authenticate for 10 hours, as long as you’re using the same browser on the same device.

Visit it.ufl.edu/2fa or contact the UF Computing Help Desk (helpdesk@ufl.edu, 352-392-HELP/4357, 132 Hub) for assistance using multi-factor authentication.

Encryption Feature Available in O365

UF’s GatorMail (O365) service includes an easy and fast way to encrypt email. Encryption protects the privacy of an email message and its attachments by converting the contents from readable text into scrambled text. When you encrypt the email, only the recipient(s) who have the encryption key can unscramble the message and read what you sent. Anyone without the corresponding private key–like an unintended recipient or cyberthief–sees only indecipherable text. UFIT recently completed a project to migrate UF mailboxes to O365, known as GatorMail. Within GatorMail is a new button called Encrypt. (See story image.) Here’s how to use:

1. In an email message, choose Options on the navigation menu and select Encrypt.
2. Choose the encryption restrictions you want the message to have, such as Encrypt-Only or Do Not Forward.

Visit https://www.mail.ufl.edu/‘s “Managing Email” section for more information on how encryption works and other secure emailing tips.

GatorCloud Options Keeps Your Files and Data Safe

Recently, the Eastern Seaboard (including Florida) was hit with gas shortages, followed by temporary spikes in costs, long lines, and the stress of wondering how long it would last. While this crisis ended after only a week, it brought home the dangers–the community upheaval and its associated costs–of what can happen as a result of a ransomware attack.. When you click on a link in a phish, you could be downloading malicious software that can infect your device and its files. A great way to protect your devices and all that is stored on them is to use the storage options available on the GatorCloud.

The free UF-provided versions of Dropbox, Google, and OneDrive have more security than the personal versions of these services: Your Gatorlink login credentials are required for access. Plus, if you lose your laptop (or other device), or if it is stolen or compromised, the files stored in the UF options are recoverable. A chart on https://cloud.it.ufl.edu/ shows how much storage you get and how to get started with any of the GatorCloud options. Additional assistance is available from the UF Computing Help Desk.

Free Storage and Collaboration Tools

Access to cloud-based collaboration tools has been essential for UF’s successful transition to hybrid campus life. In case you didn’t know, all students, faculty, and staff with active GatorLink credentials can get UF-Dropbox, G-Suite, and OneDrive from the GatorCloud. The advantage to using the versions UFIT provides is that you get an additional layer of security with your UF account and unlimited Dropbox and Google Drive storage! There is a very helpful chart on the GatorCloud homepage outlining what you get with each service. UFIT also recently published a new video overview of GatorCloud services.

In addition to UF-Dropbox, G-Suite, and OneDrive, GatorCloud also includes Office 365 and GatorMail. Want to learn how to make the most of these apps? Take advantage of your free LinkedIn Learning account to watch just in time training, like “Google Apps: Tips, Tricks and Techniques“, and “Team Collaboration in Office 365.”

Anyone in the UF community with questions about using GatorCloud applications or help accessing LinkedIn Learning for free may contact the UF Computing Help Desk (352-392-HELP/4357, helpdesk@ufl.edu).

When Should You Use UF’s VPN?

The University of Florida’s
Virtual Private Network
(VPN) enables faculty, staff, and students who are off-campus to securely access UF services that are generally only available when connected to the campus network. In layman language, the VPN provides a secure “tunnel” that routes your computer’s network traffic through the UF network. Since the university’s response to COVID-19 began, usage of UF’s VPN has grown significantly. However, it is not always necessary to use the VPN to achieve the goal of secure access. This is because many of the university’s campus-wide services are hosted off-site and accessing via the campus network is not required. Here’s a list of when the UF VPN is — and is not — needed:

Use the VPN to access:
Departmental drives and network files
UF library resources
Remote Desktop
myIRB

Do not use the VPN to access:
myUFL
ONE.UF
University of Florida email systems
UF SharePoint sites
Microsoft Teams
Skype for Business
Zoom
UF e-Learning (Canvas) content
OneDrive
UF DropBox
UFApps

Anyone with questions about how and when to use the UF VPN should contact their local IT staff. The UF Computing Help Desk can also answer questions about using the UF VPN.

Faculty and Staff Can Get Multiple Free Downloads of Office 365

This morning UFIT went live with the Office 365 ProPlus program for faculty and staff. The program provides multiple free downloads of Office 365 to personal devices.

Microsoft made the decision to expand Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus for Education, a multiple-download program benefit which has been available to students since April 2014, to include faculty and staff. The program allows for multiple full downloads to personal devices (desktops and laptops) of Office 2013 Professional Plus, Office 2011 for Mac, and Office for iPad at no charge. In addition, UF faculty and staff can also download full software copies on up to five tablets for free and run personal copies of Office Mobile for iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone on unlimited devices.

The program website has additional information about what’s included, the links necessary to download free copies, and Office 365 training resources. Members of the university community with questions about the program or who need download assistance should email or call the UF Computing Help Desk (352-392-HELP/4357).