Sun Releases Java(TM) 6 Update 14

As of May 29, 2009, the current version of Sun's Java client is Java(TM) 6 Update 14.

Action Required:
If you see the Java Update icon or "Java Update Available" balloon in the lower right corner of the screen, the latest version of Java should be ready to install. You can click the icon and follow its prompts to apply the update. Note: We recommend that you do not install any offered "extras" like the MSN Toolbar, OpenOffice.org Installer or Microsoft's Live Search. Please un-check these options if they appear.

Or, our How To Update Sun's Java Software, http://it.cas.psu.edu/260.htm, has complete steps on how to install Java from either the "Java Update Available" message or how to download and install Java manually .

Fixed:
This release contains feature enhancements that includes support for Internet Explorer 8. The full list of changes may be found here: http://java.sun.com/javase/6/webnotes/6u14.html

Note:
Previously, older versions of Sun Java were not removed from your computer when you updated. You had to manually remove older versions of Sun Java from your computer. This has now changed. You no longer need to remember to remove the previous Java version.

Updates for Adobe Reader 9 and Adobe Acrobat Professional 7, 8, & 9 Are Available

Adobe shipped a critical security update to its Adobe products on June 9, 2009 that patches 13 critical bugs in Reader 9.1.1 and Acrobat 9.1.1 or earlier versions. This update resolves a stack overflow and integer overflow bugs that lead to code execution potential and Denial of Service attack/code execution. Additional memory corruption and heap overflow vulnerabilities were also fixed.

Note: To determine the version of any of the above applications, open the Adobe program. Then from the Help menu choose About Adobe, (name of program). You should see the version listed in a new box. Then, you can click anywhere on this box to close it.

The current version of Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader is version 9.1.2. If you have earlier versions of Adobe Acrobat Professional, version 7 or 8, Adobe has released 7.1.3 and 8.1.6 updates as well.

Note: If you have Adobe Reader version 8.x on your computer, you should remove this version and updater to Adobe Reader 9.1.1. See our How To Install and Configure Adobe Reader v9 for Windows.

Action Required: Ag IT recommends that College of Ag Science faculty and staff update any Adobe products to their current version.

To apply these updates:

1. Close all other programs and then open your version of Adobe Reader or Acrobat Professional.
2. From the Help menu choose Check for Updates.
3. If updates were found, they should begin to download. If not, click the Download and Install Updates button.
4. When the update is ready, click Install Now.
5. The updater will prompt you to close the program before the update can be installed. Click Continue.
   
   Note: The Installation Progress window may be minimized to the lower right of the screen (in the notification tray). To see the Installation Progress window, right click on its white icon and choose Show Progress.
   
   
6. When the process completes, click Quit.
7. The Adobe Reader or or Acrobat Professional program will re-open.
8. From the Help menu choose Check for Updates. If no updates are available, click Quit.
9. Close Adobe Reader or or Acrobat Professional.

Note: Earlier versions of Adobe Acrobat Professional (version 6 or lower) will not be patched.

The Adobe Security bulletin, Security Updates available for Adobe Reader and Acrobat, has additional information and links.

QuickTime 7.6.2 Update Released

On June 1, 2009, an updated version of QuickTime was released (7.6.2). This update fixes an issue where opening a maliciously crafted movie file may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. In simple terms, malware could be installed on your computer. See more details here (Scroll down to the Security Updates section and click the link for QuickTime 7.6.2).

QuickTime is installed on all Enterprise computers. Apple's QuickTime software allows your Enterprise computer to view graphics, videos, on-line video streams (ex: Candidate Interviews in the College), and more.

Action Required: Please see our How To Install QuickTime for Windows using the Standalone Installer for steps on updating QuickTime to the latest version.

Updates for Adobe Reader 9 and Adobe Acrobat Professional 7, 8, & 9 Are Available

Adobe shipped a critical security update to its Adobe products on May 12, 2009 that addresses a vulnerability that can cause the application to crash and allow an attacker to take control of the affected system.

Note: To determine the version of any of the above applications, open the Adobe program. Then from the Help menu choose About Adobe, (name of program). You should see the version listed in a new box. Then, you can click anywhere on this box to close it.

The current version of the Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader is version 9.1.1. If you have earlier versions of Adobe Acrobat Professional, version 7 or 8, Adobe has released 7.1.2 and 8.1.5 updates as well.

Note: If you have Adobe Reader version 8.x on your computer, you should remove this version and updater to Adobe Reader 9.1.1. See our How To Install and Configure Adobe Reader v9 for Windows.

Action Required: Ag IT recommends that College of Ag Science faculty and staff update any Adobe products to their current version.

To apply these updates:

1. Close all other programs and then open your version of Adobe Reader or Acrobat Professional.
2. From the Help menu choose Check for Updates.
3. If updates were found, they should begin to download. If not, click the Download and Install Updates button.
4. When the update is ready, click Install Now.
5. The updater will prompt you to close the program before the update can be installed. Click Continue.
   
   Note: The Installation Progress window may be minimized to the lower right of the screen (in the notification tray). To see the Installation Progress window, right click on its white icon and choose Show Progress.
   
   
6. When the process completes, click Quit.
7. The Adobe Reader or or Acrobat Professional program will re-open.
8. From the Help menu choose Check for Updates. If no updates are available, click Quit.
9. Close Adobe Reader or or Acrobat Professional.

Note: Earlier versions of Adobe Acrobat Professional (version 6 or lower) will not be patched.

The Adobe Security bulletin, Security Updates available for Adobe Reader and Acrobat, has additional information and links.

Sun Releases Java(TM) 6 Update 13

As of March 26, 2009, the current version of Sun's Java client is Java(TM) 6 Update 13.

Action Required:
If you see the Java Update icon or "Java Update Available" balloon in the lower right corner of the screen, the latest version of Java should be ready to install. You can click the icon and follow its prompts to apply the update. Note: We recommend that you do not install any offered "extras" like the MSN Toolbar, OpenOffice.org Installer or Microsoft's Live Search. Please un-check these options if they appear.

Or, our How To Update Sun's Java Software, http://it.cas.psu.edu/260.htm, has complete steps on how to install Java from either the "Java Update Available" message or how to download and install Java manually .

Fixed:
This release contains feature enhancements and bug fixes. This full list of changes may be found here: http://java.sun.com/javase/6/webnotes/6u13.html

Note:
Previously, older versions of Sun Java were not removed from your computer when you updated. You had to manually remove older versions of Sun Java from your computer. This has now changed. You no longer need to remember to remove the previous Java version.

Adobe Acrobat Professional Updates for version 7 and 8 Released

On March 11, 2009 Ag IT posted a Tech Alert about the "version 9.1.0 Update for Adobe Reader 9 and Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional is Available". In this Tech Alert it was recommended that College of Ag Science faculty and staff see our How To Install and Configure Adobe Reader v9 for Windows for steps on updating Adobe Reader to the current version.

However, there are a number of staff who use version 7 and 8 Adobe Acrobat Professional.

On March 18, 2009 Adobe has released updates for these versions as well.

The current version of Adobe Acrobat Professional 7 is now 7.1.1.The current version of Adobe Acrobat Professional 8 is now 8.1.4.

Action Required: Ag IT recommends that College of Ag Science faculty and staff who use either version 7 and 8 Adobe Acrobat Professional update their Adobe Acrobat Professional to these versions.

To apply these updates:

1. Close all other programs and then open your version of Adobe Professional.
2. From the Help menu choose Check for Updates.
3. If updates were found, they should begin to download. If not, click the Download and Install Updates button.
4. At this point, you can click the Adobe Professional window to make it active, then Exit Acrobat Professional. If you don't exit Adobe Professional, the updater will prompt you to close the program before the update can be installed.
5. When the update is ready, click Install Now.
   
   Note: The Installation Progress window may be minimized to the lower right of the screen (in the notification tray). To see the Installation Progress window, right click on its white icon and choose Show Progress.
   
   
6. When the process completes, you may be asked to restart.

Note: If you can't use the Adobe Updater to apply the updates, here are links to the individual updates. Click the needed link for your version. Then click Proceed to Download. Click Download Now. Click Open (rather than Save). Click Run. Click Update. When done, click Finish.

• Adobe Acrobat 7.1.1 Professional Update
• Adobe Acrobat 8.1.4 Professional Update

Note: In order to install these updates, you may need to install other updates first. For example, the 8.1.4 update can only be applied to Adobe Acrobat version 8.1.3. To find other updates, go to Acrobat for Windows - Downloads for their complete list of available updates.

Note: Earlier versions of Adobe Acrobat Professional (version 6 or lower) will not be patched.

version 9.1.0 Update for Adobe Reader 9 and Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional is Available

Adobe shipped a critical security update to its Adobe version 9 products on March 10, 2009 that addresses a vulnerability that can cause the application to crash and allow an attacker to take control of the affected system. There are reports that this issue is being exploited.

The current version of the Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader is version 9.1.0.

Action Required: Ag IT recommends that College of Ag Science faculty and staff see our How To Install and Configure Adobe Reader v9 for Windows for steps on updating Adobe Reader to the current version.

Note: To determine the version of either of the above applications, open the Adobe program. Then from the Help menu choose About Adobe, (name of program). You should see the version listed in a new box. Then, you can click anywhere on this box to close it.

If you have the "full" version of Adobe Acrobat, you can update this program via its updater feature. Open Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional. From the Help menu, choose Check for Updates. If updates are found, close Adobe Acrobat 9 Professional. Then, click Download and Install Updates. When they complete, restart the computer.

If you have Adobe Reader version 8.x on your computer, you should remove this version and updater to Adobe Reader 9.1.0. See our How To Install and Configure Adobe Reader v9 for Windows f

If you have earlier versions of Adobe Acrobat Professional, version 7 or 8, Adobe is planning to make updates available by March 18, 2009.

Sun Releases Java(TM) 6 Update 12

As of March 11, 2009, the current version of Sun's Java client is Java(TM) 6 Update 11.

Action Required:
If you see the Java Update icon or "Java Update Available" balloon in the lower right corner of the screen, the latest version of Java should be ready to install. You can click the icon and follow its prompts to apply the update. Note: We recommend that you do not install any offered "extras" like the MSN Toobar, OpenOffice.org Installer or Microsoft's Live Search. Please un-check these options if they appear.

Or, our How To Update Sun's Java Software, http://it.cas.psu.edu/260.htm, has complete steps on how to install Java from either the "Java Update Available" message or how to download and install Java manually .

Fixed:
This release contains feature enhancements and bug fixes. This full list of changes may be found here: http://java.sun.com/javase/6/webnotes/6u12.html

Note:
Previously, older versions of Sun Java were not removed from your computer when you updated. You had to manually remove older versions of Sun Java from your computer. This has now changed. You no longer need to remember to remove the previous Java version.

Adobe Releases Flash Player 10 Update to Address Security Vulnerabilities

On February 24, 2009 Adobe released a Security advisory called Flash Player update available to address security vulnerabilities that announced the availability of updated Flash Player 10 software. The advisory states in part:

Summary
A potential vulnerability has been identified in Adobe Flash Player 10.0.12.36 and earlier that could allow an attacker who successfully exploits this potential vulnerability to take control of the affected system. A malicious SWF must be loaded in Flash Player by the user for an attacker to exploit this potential vulnerability. Additional vulnerabilities have been addressed in this update. Adobe recommends users update to the most current version of Flash Player available for their platform.

Affected software versions
Adobe Flash Player 10.0.12.36 and earlier.

Severity rating
Adobe categorizes this as a critical update and recommends affected users upgrade to version 10.0.22.87.

Action Required: Ag IT recommends that you update the Adobe Flash Player on your Enterprise machine to mitigate the effects of malicious SWF (Shockwave Flash) files that you might view in your web browser.

1. To verify the Adobe Flash Player version number, you can visit the About Flash Player page. If this version is Flash Player 10.0.12.36 or earlier, please complete the remaining steps.
2. To update to current Adobe Flash Player version, go to the Player Download Center.
3. UN-CHECK any extra toolbars that are offered. Example: Google Toolbar.
4. Click Agree and install now.
5. Follow on-screen steps to install.
6. When the installation completes, you should see the current version of Flash Player (10.0.22.87) displayed on the screen.
   
   NOTE: If you still see the older version (Example: 10.0.12.36), go to How to uninstall the Adobe Flash Player plug-in and ActiveX control and download the Adobe Flash Player uninstaller. Follow the steps to remove Adobe Flash. Then go back to the Player Download Center and install the new Adobe Flash Player again.

Note: If you use multiple browsers, perform the check for each browser you have installed on your computer.

Trouble Adding Participants to an Adobe Connect Meeting Space?

Have you created an Adobe Connect Meeting space that should be restricted to only certain participants, gone to add someone as a participant, and then not been able to find the participant in the Adobe Connect user list?

If so, it is likely because the user has never previously logged into an Adobe Connect meeting. Until a user logs into an “open” Adobe Connect meeting (one that is not restricted to certain participants) the Adobe Connect server does not realize they exist. It is not until after a user has logged into a meeting space that they are added to the Adobe Connect user list.

To resolve the issue, ask the user to log into http://breeze.psu.edu/opensite, which is a meeting space we have made accessible to anyone who has a Penn State or Friends of Penn State user account. Once the user gets log into the open meeting they can immediately exit out and then you should be able to find them in the Adobe Connect user list and add them to your meeting space.

QuickTime 7.6.0 Update Released

On Jan 21, 2009, an updated version of QuickTime was released (7.6.0). This update fixes an issue where a maliciously crafted URL may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution. In simple terms, malware could be installed on your computer. See more details here (Scroll down to the Security Updates section and click the link for QuickTime 7.6).

QuickTime is installed on all Enterprise computers. Apple's QuickTime software allows your Enterprise computer to view graphics, videos, on-line video streams (ex: Candidate Interviews in the College), and more.

Action Required: Please see our How To Install QuickTime for Windows using the Standalone Installer for steps on updating QuickTime to the latest version.

Error Message: Secure VPN Connection terminated locally by client. Reason 429

Within Penn State's VPN client, there are connection entries for "ITS Wireless at campusname." Entries include ITS Wireless at UP, ITS Wireless at Altoona, ITS Wireless at Beaver, etc. In the Host entry for these entries you see "mobility.campusname.psu.edu" (where campusname represents the abbreviation for a campus location. Entries include mobility.up.psu.edu, mobility.as.psu.edu, mobility.br.psu.edu, etc.

According to http://its.psu.edu/wireless/faq.html#21, "If you are in a location that has Penn State Wireless you need to launch the VPN client on your laptop and select the Penn State campus where you are located. Once you login using your Access Account, you can begin to use the wireless network for your tasks."

Situation:
According to http://alerts.its.psu.edu/alert-867, on Thursday, October, 23, 2008, all campuses using the ITS Wireless VPN service began using Cisco's Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) platform. As a result, all campus wireless traffic is re-routed to ASA's located at University Park. In other words there is no longer a need for separate "mobility.campusname.psu.edu" names in the VPN client. In effect, all the VPN traffic needs to find mobility.up.psu.edu in order to connect.

If you attempt to use the VPN client to access an ITS Wireless location and receive this error, Reason 429: Unable to resolve server address, your laptop is unable to resolve mobility.up.psu.edu to its IP address.

Workaround:
You can create an ITS Wireless connection that uses the direct IP address for mobility.up.psu.edu.

1. Open the VPN client. Click the New button.
2. In Connection Entry, enter ITS Wireless.
3. You may leave Description blank.
4. In Host, enter 172.28.41.68.
5. Under Group Authentication, the Name should be pennstate
6. The Password and Confirm Password should also be pennstate
   
   Note: The passwords are case-sensitive (for example, Pennstate is not the same as pennstate)
   
7. Click Save.
8. You can use this connection to access ITS Wireless from any campus including University Park.

Sun Releases Java(TM) 6 Update 11

As of December 2, 2008, the current version of Sun's Java client is Java(TM) 6 Update 11.

Action Required:
If you see an alert icon in your notification area, lower right corner of screen, to update Java, you can click the icon and follow its prompts to apply the update. If you receive an "Error 1606" while installing, click Cancel. Click OK. Uncheck the Open Java Help box. Click Finish. You should restart the computer and try the install again.

Or, you can follow our How To Update Sun's Java Software, http://it.cas.psu.edu/260.htm instead.

Fixed:
This release contains feature enhancements and bug fixes. This full list of changes may be found here: http://java.sun.com/javase/6/webnotes/6u11.html

Note:
Previously, older versions of Sun Java were not removed from your computer when you updated. You had to manually remove older versions of Sun Java from your computer.

This has now changed. The previous version, Java 1.6.0_10, included code to allow patch-in-place to occur. So, from now on, you will not need to remember to remove the previous Java version.

version 8.1.3 Update for Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional and Adobe Reader is Available

Adobe shipped a critical update to its Adobe version 8 products on November 4, 2008 that addresses a number of customer workflow issues and security vulnerabilities.

Action Required: Ag IT recommends that College of Ag Science faculty and staff apply the 8.1.3 update to their EN machines.

Note: To determine the version of either of the above applications, open the Adobe program. Then from the Help menu choose About Adobe, (name of program). You should see the version listed in a new box. Then, you can click anywhere on this box to close it.

If you have the "full" version of Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional, you can update this program via its updater feature. Open Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional. From the Help menu, choose Check for Updates. If updates are found, close Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional. Then, click Download and Install Updates. When they complete, restart the computer.

If you have Adobe Reader version 8.1.2, on your computer, you can use the steps from How To Install and Configure Adobe Reader v8 for Windows, http://it.cas.psu.edu/222.htm, to apply the version 8.1.3 update.

Note: you can also try to use the updater feature for Adobe Reader as well. We have seen a number of 8.1.2 installations that lack the Check for Updates choice from the Help menu however. This is why we recommend the above How To.

Sun Releases Java(TM) 6 Update 10

As of Oct 27, 2008, the current version of Sun's Java client is Java(TM) 6 Update 10.

Action Required: Please follow our "How To Update Sun's Java Software" to update your Java software.

Fixed: This release contains feature enhancements and bug fixes. This full list of changes may be found here.

Note: Older versions of Sun Java are not removed from your system when downloading and installing new versions from Sun. Therefore, if you have the latest Sun Java version installed, then you should consider removing all older versions of Sun Java from your system. This can be done via "Add/Remove Programs" in the Microsoft Windows "Control Panel".

Audio Problem Troubleshooting Suggestions from Adobe Connect (Breeze)

Issue: Since PSU ITS updated to Adobe Connect v7 earlier this year, there have been intermittent audio issues during Adobe Connect meetings and trainings.

This Tech Alert is in response to an ALERT from Adobe:
In Connect 7, Adobe included an “enhanced” audio solution for PC users when running the audio setup wizard. It’s in the advanced settings area. This is different than Connect v6 and the cause of some of the problems out there. Until the service pack fix is initiated, I believe this enhanced audio feature is defaulting to “on”. We would like everyone to turn that off as a troubleshooting option (and it will default to off with the service pack).

This means everyone in the meeting should have the enhanced audio box checked to “off”. Otherwise, the enhanced audio may create problems with gain and other audio pickup and cause “breaks” in the delivery for everyone (on a congested network).

The service pack referred to is expected sometime in November. We will pass along information as it becomes available. Additional troubleshooting tips received today are posted at http://meeting.psu.edu/node/519.

Action Required (if you use Adobe Connect): EACH TIME you log into an Adobe Connect Meeting, you need to run through the Audio Set-up Wizard to configure your audio. As you go through the Audio Set-up wizard, the last window called “Finished,” click on the Advanced Settings button, then look for the checkbox in the upper right-left portion of your screen. Uncheck the “use Enhanced Audio.”

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact Ag IT Support.

Adobe Releases Flash Player 10 to Address Security Vulnerabilities (Clickjacking)

Adobe Systems has released a new version of its Flash Player software. This version includes a fix for the critical security bug that allowed hackers to hijack your browser in what's come to be known as a clickjacking attack.

On Oct 15, 2008 Adobe released a Security advisory called Flash Player update available to address security vulnerabilities that announced the availability of new Flash Player 10 software. The advisory states in part:

Summary
Potential vulnerabilities have been identified in Adobe Flash Player 9.0.124.0 and earlier that could allow an attacker who successfully exploits these potential vulnerabilities to bypass Flash Player security controls. Adobe recommends users update to the most current version of Flash Player available for their platform.

Affected software versions
Adobe Flash Player 9.0.124.0 and earlier.

Severity rating
Adobe categorizes this as a critical update and recommends affected users upgrade to version 10.0.12.36.

Action Required: Ag IT recommends that you update the Adobe Flash Player on your Enterprise machine to mitigate the effects of clickjacking.

1. To verify the Adobe Flash Player version number, you can visit the About Flash Player page. If this version is Flash Player 9.0.124.0 and earlier, please complete the remaining steps.
2. To update to current Adobe Flash Player version, go to the Player Download Center.
3. Click Agree and install now.
4. Follow on-screen steps to install.
5. When the installation completes, you should see the current version of Flash Player displayed on the screen.

Note: If you use multiple browsers, perform the check for each browser you have installed on your computer.

Security Risk - Clickjacking

Clickjacking is a nasty security risk — it’s transparent to you the user, easy to put into operation and difficult to stop.

What is Clickjacking? This threat was brought to the public's attention in late September 2008. According to researchers Robert Hansen and Jeremiah Grossman, clickjacking happens when your browser is directed to a malicious Web site when you click on what appears to be a valid link.

How does this happen? First, a hacker has to break in and compromise a good site. The hacker can then set their external, malicious content to be invisible and overlay the normal page with a "transparent" cover. When you click on the normal page, you are in fact clicking on the externally loaded page. The content or page which then loads is whatever the hacker wants. For example, it could install a malware program like a rogue Anti-Spyware program.

In another clickjacking scenario, the page may not need to have the transparent overlay. Instead, the good page may have been hacked to contain JavaScript code that makes the invisible target constantly follow the mouse pointer, intercepting your first click wherever it may be.

On Oct 7, 2008 Adobe released a Security advisory called Flash Player workaround available for "Clickjacking" issue. The advisory states:

SUMMARY
Adobe is aware of recently published reports of a 'Clickjacking' issue in multiple web browsers that could allow an attacker to lure a web browser user into unknowingly clicking on a link or dialog. It has been determined that this potential "Clickjacking" issue affects Adobe Flash Player. Adobe is working to address this issue in an upcoming update to Flash Player.

SOLUTION
Customers:
To prevent this potential issue, customers can change their Flash Player settings as follows

1. Access the Global Privacy Settings panel of the Adobe Flash Player Settings Manager at the following URL: http://www.adobe.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager02.html
   
2. Select the "Always deny" button.
   
3. Select 'Confirm' in the resulting dialog.
   
4. Note that you will no longer be asked to allow or deny camera and / or microphone access after changing this setting.
   
   Customers who wish to allow certain sites access to their camera and / or microphone can selectively allow access to certain sites via the Website Privacy Settings panel of the Settings Manager at the following URL: http://www.adobe.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager06.html.

Action Required: Ag IT recommends that you follow the Adobe steps to mitigate the effects of clickjacking.

Note: If you use Adobe Connect (Breeze) for meetings or trainings, you will need to allow these sites access to Flash Player as mentioned in Step 4.

For detailed steps on how to do this, you can use our How To Allow "Camera and Microphone Access" in Adobe Connect (Breeze) steps.

Another Phishing message circulating

Faculty and staff are reminded that the College and University will *NEVER* request account/password information via email.

You should never reply to a message asking for account information, nor should you ever click a link from a message that asks for account information. Penn State and the College of Ag Sciences will never ask for your account/password in this method. If you receive messages of this type in the future, simply delete the message.

Here is an example of the latest phishing that we have seen in the College.


Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2008 14:28:01 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: Account Expire in 4 Day(s)
From: "IT SERVICE"

Dear Webmail User,

This message was sent automatically by a program on Webmail which
periodically checks the size of inboxes, where new messages are received.
The program is run weekly to ensure no one's inbox grows too large. If
your inbox becomes too large, you will be unable to receive new email.
Just before this message was sent, you had 18 Megabytes (MB) or more
of messages stored in your inbox on your Webmail. To help us re-set
your SPACE on our database prior to maintain your INBOX, you must
reply to this e-mail and enter your

Current User name ( )
and Password( ).

You will continue to receive this warning message periodically if your
inbox size continues to be between 18 and 20 MB. If your inbox size
grows to 20 MB, then a program on Bates Webmai will move your oldest
email to a folder in your home directory to ensure that you will
continue to be able to receive incoming email. You will be notified by
email that this has taken place. If your inbox grows to 25 MB, you
will be unable to receive new email as it will be returned to the
sender.
After you read a message, it is best to REPLY and SAVE it to another
folder.

Thank you for your cooperation.
WEBMAIL Help Desk

Computer Account Requests - New Processes as of Sept 2, 2008

In the past, we have had different account processes and services for many different types of employees and volunteers. We now have streamlined the account process down to two divisions. We will follow one process if the employee is paid by Penn State, and follow a second process if the person is not paid by Penn State.

One of the most significant changes in the process is that the College of Ag IT Unit will no longer play a role in applying for or receiving a Penn State Access Account. Computer security policies no longer allow us to receive an employee’s confidential account information. New employees will file the access account application form directly with the Accounts office at University Park, and will need to visit any campus of the university to receive their password. We used to provide an intermediary service for these account procedures, it is now against policy to do so.

If the person is paid by Penn State, he/she will need to apply for a Penn State Access Account. This username and password combination will grant the employee access to manage their Penn State benefits online, to access Penn State Library information, to connect to authorized Penn State wireless services, to use Penn State campus training computer labs, and to login to CASPAR. Additionally, the employee will need to apply for a College of Ag domain account to gain access to other needed services – to use Enterprise computers, to send and receive e-mail using the College’s Outlook/Exchange system, and to connect to SharePoint services.

Account request process for Penn State paid employees can be found at - http://it.cas.psu.edu/1207.htm

Everyone else NOT paid by Penn State - county paid staff, student interns, and dedicated volunteers who need access to college computers (office computers or SharePoint Sites) to perform their duties - do not receive a Penn State Access Account. They must apply for a “Friends of Penn State” account and the College of Ag Domain Account. Depending on the services requested when the account is created, the domain account will enable this person to use Enterprise computers, send and receive e-mail through the College’s Outlook/Exchange mail system and connect to SharePoint services.

Account request process for County paid employees can be found at - http://it.cas.psu.edu/386.htm

Thank you for your cooperation and patience as we help to make these new processes more routine.