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Database upgrade to take myUWinfo offline Saturday
Feb 27th, 2020
myUWinfo logo

An upgrade to the underlying human resource database will take myUWinfo, UWindsor’s gateway to human resource information, offline on Saturday, Feb. 29.

“We wanted to flag this outage in case any faculty or staff members were planning to do their 2019 taxes on Saturday,” says Susan Holiga, assistant director of Information Technology Services. “If so, you will want to log into myUWinfo beforehand to get a copy of your T4 or T4A tax forms from the University.”

On Saturday, any updates about the maintenance period will be posted on the IT Services’ system status webpage at www.uwindsor.ca/itservices/status. The myUWinfo system will be back in operation Sunday, March 1.

Database upgrade to take myUWinfo offline Saturday
Feb 27th, 2020
myUWinfo logo

An upgrade to the underlying human resource database will take myUWinfo, UWindsor’s gateway to human resource information, offline on Saturday, Feb. 29.

“We wanted to flag this outage in case any faculty or staff members were planning to do their 2019 taxes on Saturday,” says Susan Holiga, assistant director of Information Technology Services. “If so, you will want to log into myUWinfo beforehand to get a copy of your T4 or T4A tax forms from the University.”

On Saturday, any updates about the maintenance period will be posted on the IT Services’ system status webpage at www.uwindsor.ca/itservices/status. The myUWinfo system will be back in operation Sunday, March 1.

Options available for multi-factor authentication
Feb 14th, 2020
icons representing authentication options: smartphone, landline, text bubble, token?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) combines two or more independent credentials or “factors” — typically something you know (e.g. your password) paired with something you have (e.g. your mobile phone) — to create a second layer of security for your UWin Account.

In terms of the “something you have” or second factor, there are currently four options for UWin Account holders to choose from:

  1. Phone – Text me a code
  2. Phone – Call me
  3. Microsoft Authenticator App
  4. MFA token (hardware)

“We have just added the MFA hardware token,” says Marcin Pulcer, assistant director, Information Technology Services. “It is a small card that displays a six-digit code upon the press of a button.”

The advantages of the MFA token are that it does not require a mobile device, it is portable, and it will work anywhere.

The MFA tokens are available for purchase from the Campus Bookstore for $12.50 plus tax. A one-time set-up using a card reader is required to connect the MFA token to your UWin Account. This set-up can be completed by bringing your MFA token to the IT Service Desk located in the lower level of the University Computer Centre, during business hours.

A full description of the MFA second factor options, including the pros and cons of each, can be found in the IT Services Catalogue.

—Ericka Greenham

Options available for multi-factor authentication
Feb 14th, 2020
icons representing authentication options: smartphone, landline, text bubble, token?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) combines two or more independent credentials or “factors” — typically something you know (e.g. your password) paired with something you have (e.g. your mobile phone) — to create a second layer of security for your UWin Account.

In terms of the “something you have” or second factor, there are currently four options for UWin Account holders to choose from:

  1. Phone – Text me a code
  2. Phone – Call me
  3. Microsoft Authenticator App
  4. MFA token (hardware)

“We have just added the MFA hardware token,” says Marcin Pulcer, assistant director, Information Technology Services. “It is a small card that displays a six-digit code upon the press of a button.”

The advantages of the MFA token are that it does not require a mobile device, it is portable, and it will work anywhere.

The MFA tokens are available for purchase from the Campus Bookstore for $12.50 plus tax. A one-time set-up using a card reader is required to connect the MFA token to your UWin Account. This set-up can be completed by bringing your MFA token to the IT Service Desk located in the lower level of the University Computer Centre, during business hours.

A full description of the MFA second factor options, including the pros and cons of each, can be found in the IT Services Catalogue.

—Ericka Greenham

IT Services shares numbers on Multi-Factor Authentication
Feb 7th, 2020
hand tracing graph on upward trajectory

To date, 452 faculty and staff members have Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) enabled on their UWin accounts.

Information Technology Services is currently preparing to enable MFA for another 1,000 faculty, staff, and students already registered for this additional security feature on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

The campaign for early adoption continues with more than 4,000 faculty, staff, and students now registered for MFA, notes Ryan Kenney, executive director of IT Services: Are you one of them?

“Our rollout of MFA has been deliberately conservative to start so we could uncover issues and work to address them in a timely manner,” Kenney says. “With this experience and knowledge, we will now be picking up the pace with the goal of having MFA enabled on all faculty, staff, and student UWin accounts in March.”

IT Services strongly recommends setting up your authentication options before MFA is enabled on your account. If you have not done so, follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to myprofile.microsoft.com in a web browser and sign in with your UWinID@uwindsor.ca and UWin Account password.
  2. In the Security info box, click the UPDATE INFO link.
  3. Click the + Add method button to add an authentication method. Authentication methods include phone - text or call; Microsoft Authenticator App - verification code or notification; and the recently added MFA Token.

Before MFA is enabled on your UWin Account, you will receive a notification email from IT Services.

To learn more about MFA, visit www.uwindsor.ca/itservices/multifactor. You can also ask a question or open a UWin Account ticket.

—Ericka Greenham