Important System Outage Update 5/12/23

Good afternoon,

Yesterday we shared some important ransomware updates in our campus forum that we also want to share with you here, in case you were unable to attend. 

Positive Progress 

We have made some really great progress with our recovery and restoration efforts. A huge thank you to TSS for their dedication and round-the-clock work during this time. 

  • Campuswide wireless has been restored. TSS has mounted 100 access points, which took approximately three weeks. Most every working area has full coverage; however, we are aware of a few outstanding areas. We are putting in an order for 20 additional access points to resolve those issues. 
  • Sixty-two new teaching computers were installed in classrooms for spring courses. These computers connect to Wi-Fi. TSS is currently working to ensure that all summer and fall classrooms will be ready and anticipate having the wired network restored for all classrooms and instructional areas that will be in use by Fall quarter.
    • The College has worked to get the student classroom labs operational for Spring quarter and that restoration effort is 97% complete. 
  • 55 laptops have been deployed by TSS and 250 desktops have been ordered and will be deployed during the Summer quarter. 
  • TSS is currently working on implementing several improved security protocols across the entire Shoreline infrastructure, which we will provide additional updates on. 
  • We now have a temporary solution for our intranet and are working to repopulate the documents and information. 

Important Data Restoration Update 

We have been working with the Dell EMC team for the past six weeks to reestablish the connection to the back-up data in the cloud. Unfortunately, we were made aware that despite their best efforts, Dell was unable to recover the data stored in the cloud. Data stored locally on desktop computers can be unencrypted and returned to the user. We have consulted other engineers for a second opinion, and unfortunately, they have also concluded the same as Dell. 

As a result, we will need to recover data in other ways and rebuild. Here are some steps we are currently taking: 

  • Data Identification
    • We have created a data identification spreadsheet to help us navigate the platform and service needs for every department across campus. This spreadsheet was shared with ET this morning. Meetings are being set up with department heads across campus to work with their teams and populate the document for review.
      • Once we receive the information back from the departments, we will have a clearer picture of the data and rebuild needs for the campus 
  • File Restoration Efforts
    • TSS has begun working through the submitted requests for local desktop file restoration, and thus far efforts have proven successful. To be added to the queue for local file restoration, please submit a ticket via this form. 

On Monday we will be sharing out some other helpful information about website requests and OneDrive/SharePoint, so stay tuned for more updates. 

We thank you for your continued patience and flexibility as we truly appreciate your efforts. Thank you for being a wonderful campus community. 

Cat 

System Outage Update 4/28/23

Happy Friday! 

I hope you have been able to take a little time out of your day today to enjoy the sunshine. It is certainly beautiful around campus. If you haven’t stepped outside today, take a look at the latest post on Shoreline’s Instagram page to see the campus in full bloom.

Today I have a couple of updates for you from Technology Support Services (TSS) and on accreditation. 

First, I want to thank you all for your patience and flexibility during this time. We are making great progress getting things back online, but we know that everyone has had to work very hard to make adjustments to instruction, and operations.  We truly appreciate your efforts. 

TSS 

As TSS continues to forge ahead with restoration efforts they would like to remind you to continue to fill out the file recovery request form which can be found here. They are in the final testing stage and hope to begin working with individual computers as early as the end of next week. Please remember this request form is not to ask for files on the network drives (e.g. S, X etc.) but instead for things you might have saved on your individual computer. 

Accreditation 

Due to the effect of the ransomware incident on accreditation work, the following deadlines have been extended and timelines adjusted: 

  • All Area Reviews are now due Friday, June 16, 2023 – the last day of spring quarter. The April 24th deadline for Area Reviews was extended. 
  • Next year’s (2023-24) budget now will be developed two months later, as approved by the Board of Trustees at their April 26, 2023 meeting. A draft budget will be reviewed by the Board in August; it will be shared with the Strategic Planning & Budget Council during Opening Week, when faculty are back on contract. A final budget will be presented to the Board for approval in September. 
  • Since Area Reviews will inform resource allocation (budget development), that timeline has been updated.  
  • The Fall 2023 (October 5-6) Accreditation Mid-Cycle visit has been approved by the Northwest Commission on Colleges & Universities (NWCCU) to be delayed to spring 2024.  

Enjoy your weekend! 

Introducing Jason Brandon- New Executive Director of TSS

This is a headshot of Jason wearing a blue button down shirt against a grey background.

We are excited to announce that we have hired Jason Brandon to be the new Executive Director of Technology Support Services (TSS). His first day will be Monday April 24, 2023. 

Originally from Cincinnati, OH, Jason attended the University of Louisville where he played collegiate baseball and earned a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems. He began his IT career as a Systems Engineer for Brown and Williamson, and later relocated to Miami, FL where he earned a master’s degree in computer science from Nova Southeastern University.  

Previously, Jason was the Chief Information Officer for Sunrise Community Inc, supporting individuals with developmental disabilities across eight states on the East Coast. With over 20+ years of experience, his expertise lies in leading IT teams to implement scalable, reliable, and complex systems to support the organizations’ needs, while maintaining a focus on superior customer service.  

In his spare time, he is an avid sports fan, and a runner who has completed two half marathons.

System Outage Update 4/17/23

Good afternoon, 

Today I want to send a huge thank you out to the entire TSS team for their continued work on the restoration process.  We appreciate you all so much! 

I have several important updates to share with you, so please make sure you read carefully.

Wi-Fi 

TSS is in the middle of restoration efforts which include Wi-Fi access on campus. When wireless is operational in your area you will see a network called Shoreline-Guest-WiFi.  Please use the password  #ShorelineWiFi when you login. As full restoration efforts will take quite some time, TSS has brought on Shoreline’s brand-new guest network as a temporary solution to allow the campus to have internet access again.  

Barring any unforeseen issues TSS is hoping to have the network Wi-Fi online across campus by the end of the week. Currently wireless connectivity can be found in the following buildings, with more coming online soon. 

  • 800, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1400, 1500  

TSS will be removing the hotspots once your area’s wireless is online later this week. 

Broken Links 

If you are on the Shoreline website and you encounter a broken link, please fill out this form. 

File Restoration 

As the restoration efforts continue, one way that TSS is hoping to help support you is by inspecting computers to see what files can be recovered. Please be aware that due to current ongoing efforts, this process is still a few weeks out. To help identify systems for file review, TSS has created a form that must be filled out so that the college can prioritize those review requests. 

TSS Offie Closed Periodically 

To help with restoration efforts, the TSS office will need to be closed periodically throughout the next few weeks. A sign will be on their door, and a notification sent out to campus when that occurs. If you need to pick up equipment and the office is closed, please contact TSS to set up an appointment. 

The TSS office will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, April 18, 2023. 

I mentioned in the Zoom forum today that we have provided a robust FAQ list for our external call center. Here are some questions and answers from that list that you might find helpful.  Thank you for your time and have a great night! 

Cat 

Call Center FAQs 

What happened? 

  • On March 20, 2023, Shoreline Community College experienced a ransomware incident that impacted several on-campus operations. Shoreline immediately transitioned to a virtual environment to ensure continuity of classes with minimal disruptions. Students and faculty maintained access to several necessary resources to continue the educational experience. The investigation is ongoing, but to date we learned that some data was accessed by an unauthorized third party. 

When did this happen? 

  • The unauthorized person obtained certain files from our systems between February 27 and March 20, 2023. 

Why didn’t you tell affected individuals about the loss of the data sooner? 

  • With any such event, it takes time to investigate the event and identify individuals whose information may be involved. Shoreline worked hard to notify you as quickly as possible. 

What information about me may have been involved? 

  • The investigation is ongoing, but to date we learned that some data was accessed by an unauthorized third party between February 27 and March 20, 2023. On April 5, 2023 we confirmed that the documents involved contained certain information relating to some of our students, staff, and faculty, including their names and one or more of the following data elements: Social Security numbers, passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, financial account numbers, and/or attestations regarding COVID-19 test results. To date, we have received no reports of identity theft as a result of this incident. 

Was any data impacted or compromised? 

  • The investigation is ongoing, but to date we learned that some data was accessed by an unauthorized third party between February 27 and March 20, 2023. On April 5, 2023 we confirmed that the documents involved contained certain information relating to some of our students, staff, and faculty, including their names and one or more of the following data elements: Social Security numbers, passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, financial account numbers, and/or attestations regarding COVID-19 test results. To date, we have received no reports of identity theft as a result of this incident. 

Has the affected information been misused? 

  • At this time, there is no evidence that there has been any misuse of the information involved in this event. 

What monitoring resources are available to me? 

  • Shoreline is offering a complimentary membership in Experian® IdentityWorksSM Credit 3B to anyone whose information Social Security number or driver’s license number may have been 

involved in the incident. This product helps detect possible misuse of your personal information and provides you with identity protection services focused on immediate identification and resolution of identity theft. IdentityWorks Credit 3B is completely free to you and enrolling in this program will not hurt your credit score. You may also call the toll-free number of Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion to place a fraud alert on your credit report and/or order your free credit report. Additional resources regarding identity theft protection may be found at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) identity theft website, IdentityTheft.gov, which includes information regarding identity theft recovery steps and how to file an identity theft complaint if you discover your information has been compromised. 

How can I sign up for the credit monitoring? 

  • Information about how to sign up for these services is contained in the notice that was emailed to you. However, I’m happy to help you. 

How long will my credit monitoring last? 

  • Shoreline is providing individuals with [one year] of complimentary credit monitoring services.  

What steps are you taking to protect my information? 

  • We are continuing to take taking several steps to ensure increased security including: enabling multifactor authentication, moving to a cloud-based file solution, enforcing a mandatory password reset every 90 or 180 days, mandating complex passwords, reviewing and revising email forwarding rules to ensure privacy of sensitive information, updating hardware and ensuring compliance with best practice security standards, and implementing additional security measures on all Shoreline controlled machines. 

What other steps should I take to protect my information? 

  • We advise individuals to remain vigilant for signs of unauthorized activity by reviewing their credit reports and financial account statements. If you see charges or activity they did not authorize, Shoreline suggests they contact their financial institution immediately. Shoreline is in the process of providing notice of this incident to individuals whoseinformation may have been involved and is offering them a complimentary membership to Experian® IdentityWorksSM Credit 3B credit monitoring service. 

How can I get a copy of my credit report? 

  • You can contact one of the three major credit reporting agencies to obtain free credit reports and/or place fraud alerts and security freezes on your credit files.
    • Experian PO Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 1-888-397-3742 
    • TransUnion P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016 1-888-395-6938 
    • Equifax PO Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 1-888-298-0045 

System Outage Update 4/6/23 

Good evening, 

I have two quick updates for you today. 

Personal Hotspots 

During today’s Zoom forum we received questions about whether people could use their personal hotspot on campus. While we do have wifi hotspots distributed around campus, it is also possible to use your personal hotspot on your phone if you choose to do so.  

However, I wanted to share that a handful of us with “unlimited” data plans who’ve used our cell phones as wi-fi hotspots while on campus this week, discovered that “unlimited” can have limits, after getting the “your smartphone has 10% remaining of its mobile hotspot allowance” messages from our wireless carriers. Here are a couple of tips and explanations that may be of use to you 

  • “A lot of people get confused about unlimited data plans, thinking that this means that mobile hotspot data is also unlimited. But, this isn’t the case. Even on cell phone plans with unlimited data, there will be a cap for how much data you can use as a mobile hotspot.” (Statement pulled up from a web search.) 

  • “One of the most important things to remember about mobile hotspot usage is that it can quickly drain your smartphone’s battery. While it is being used as a hotspot, not only is it doing all its other smartphone functions, but it’s also constantly transmitting data to the devices you connect to it.” (Statement pulled up from a web search.) 

Maintenance Requests 

While our intranet is down, staff and faculty are able to put in maintenance requests via this link: https://dlweb.megamation.com/shorelinecc/DLWEB.php/O4W_INFO_PAGE 

Please note that due to the ransomware incident we are not currently able to take requests for heating/cooling as we are currently unable to access our HVAC system controls. 

Have a great night!