ICT Solutions News Desk

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Targeted phishing email being sent to Office 365 accounts

Posted on 05/12/2019 12:24:27

We are aware of targeted phishing emails that have been received by a number of schools. These emails simply ask "Are you on your computer at the moment?" and, although they contain the Head Teachers name, they clearly come from a rogue address. These are not round robin emails but emails sent with an exact purpose of tricking you.

We have blocked the main rogue address, but please continue to be careful. An example of the incoming email is copied below, but the following general advice should always keep you safe.

If an email comes from an unexpected source - look carefully at the address!!! - and 'does not look right' then delete it straight away.
The emails will usually stress urgency or refer to financial requirements, such as paying an invoice. If you agree with each other that no financial discussions / communication will happen via email then you will not be unsure if these emails are received.

For more information please contact the Service Desk on 0845 303 3003 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

From: A Head [mailto:acuitybr@gmail.com]

Sent: 04 December 2019 08:53

To: Office - A Primary School

Subject:

Are you on your computer at the moment ?

Kind Regards,

A Head

Sent from my iPhone

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Changes to the Hosted SIMS Remote Desktop Service (RDS)

Posted on 24/11/2019 11:05:39

We are aware that some hosted SIMS schools have been sent the following information below by Capita, regarding forthcoming changes being made to their infrastructure.

For the vast majority of Hosted SIMS customers there will be no impact. Some customers who are running older Windows clients, especially Windows 7, may receive an error after the work has been completed.

Unfortunately, we do not have a definitve rollout schedule but are aware that schools will be updated in alphabetical order from Monday, December 2nd, through to December 31st.

What is RDS?

As a Hosted SIMS user RDS is the way in which you gain access to the SIMS Application. After you have logged into SIMS ID and then “Click” on the Hosted SIMS Tile an RDS session is started in which the SIMS Application is run.

What is happening?

As part of our ongoing maintenance, improvement and security programmes we have built new 2016 backend servers. As part of this work we need to move customers to the new 2012 RDS farm to be able to utilise the new infrastructure. We have also taken the opportunity to rollout Office 2016 on the new RDS servers.

Why are you doing this?

The upgrade will provide enhanced security and performance and is essential to enable us to maintain the service at its optimal performance. Most upgrades are applied with no impact to customers, however, this specific upgrade is reliant on schools having up-to-date Windows client software installed on their local machines.

When is this going to happen?

The upgrade will be phased and schools upgraded in batches. We moved some schools over during October and we will re-start the process from 2nd December and aim to complete for all customers by the end of December 2019.

I’m not sure what I need to do?

If you do not usually manage the IT within your school, please pass this document to the relevant person.

How would this affect me?

As we upgrade schools there will be no impact or action required for most users. However, schools who are running some older Windows clients, especially Windows 7, may have an issue connecting and users may be presented with the following error “Your computer can't connect to the Remote Desktop Gateway Server. Contact your network administrator for assistance". The following information provides guidance on how to resolve the above error but if you are not the person who usually manages your IT please pass this information to the relevant person.

• For Windows 7 OS PCs: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/3140245/update-to-enable-tls-1-1-and-tls-1-2-as-default-secure-protocols-in-wi

• For Windows 10 & Windows 8: ensure you are on the latest build of Windows 10 & Windows 8. These can be obtained/applied via the Windows Update Service.

For more information:

Please contact 0845 303 3003 or email ict@norfolk.gov.uk

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Service Desk opening hours over the Christmas period

Posted on 24/11/2019 10:19:04

To reflect the reduced demand on the Service Desk over the Christmas holiday period, we will be changing the opening hours to reflect this.

The opening hours will be as follows:

December 19th, 20th, 23rd - 08:00 to 16:00

December 24th - 08:00 to 12:00

December 25th, 26th, 27th - Closed

December 30th, 31st - 08:30 to 16:00

January 1st - Closed

January 2nd, 3rd - 08:30 to 16:00

Normal opening hours of 08:00 to 16:30 will resume on Monday, January 6th 2020.

For more information please contact the Service Desk on 0845 303 3003 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

We would like to wish all our customers a Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Windows 7 - Support ending in January 2020

Posted on 11/10/2019 11:20:13

When does support for Windows 7 end?

Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 7 on January 14, 2020.

Why is Microsoft ending support for Windows 7?

Windows 7 was introduced back in 2009 and has been superseded by Windows 8 and Windows 10.

Older products may not meet today’s more demanding security requirements and Microsoft is unable to provide security updates for these.

What does end of support mean?

After January 14, 2020, a PC running Windows 7 will still start and run, but it will no longer receive security updates. In addition, Microsoft customer service will no longer be available to provide Windows 7 technical support. With Windows 10, your devices will continue to receive the latest security updates to help keep you and your data safer.

What happens if I continue to use Windows 7?

You can continue to use Windows 7, but after support has ended, your PC will become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Windows will continue to start and run, but you will no longer receive software updates, including security updates, from Microsoft.

What should I do if I am still running Windows 7?

For Windows 7 users, moving to Windows 10 will be the recommended path forward. You can upgrade compatible Windows 7 PCs based on minimum requirements, but in most cases we recommend moving to a new PC with Windows 10 to take advantage of the latest hardware capabilities.

What if I can’t afford to move to Windows 10 in my school?

Contact ourselves to get more information on how we can support you and project plan your move to a Windows 10 environment. Our EdTech Enhancement Programme (EEP) can help spread payments over three years.

For More Information:

Please contact 0845 303 3003 (Option 2) or email ict@norfolk.gov.uk

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