Message from the CIO


Hello to all, and happy fall! 

For those of you who have not received OIT Connections, this quarterly newsletter provides helpful tech tips from the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT). We hope you find value in learning more about how you can practice good cybersecurity, Google tools, and initiatives we plan to roll out for you, our valued customers.


On that note, I’m pleased to share that OIT has set our Wildly Important Passionate Purpose (or WIPP) as customer delight. That means YOUR delight. If you need information or help, contact the OIT Service Desk at colorado.gov/oitcustomerportal or 303.239.4357.


Enjoy the journey,

Theresa Szczurek, Ph.D.

Chief Information Officer and Executive Director

Stay Protected While Connected 
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Take a moment to consider these three tips to keep your digital identity secure. 
  • Double your login protection with long passwords that are customized for each account. 

  • Get educated about the latest phishing scams and how you can avoid becoming a victim.

  • If you connect it, protect it with the latest version of security software. And always ensure you are signed up for automatic updates.

  • Add two-factor authentication to all of your accounts.

  • Own and understand your digital profile. The constant connection that allows us to easily get work and personal tasks done is also leaving a digital trail. Check the privacy settings for each application you use and each of your online accounts. 


Want more cybersecurity tips? Check out these recommendations from the Department of Homeland Security.

FBI Warns of Fund Transfer Email Scam
The FBI is issuing a new warning about a scam called the “Business Email Compromise” that has taken $26 billion from victims worldwide in the last six years. 

In the Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam, a criminal impersonates an executive or business contact to get either funds transferred or access to sensitive information. The scam is frequently carried out when an attacker is able to access and use a legitimate business or personal email account, or create an account to closely mimic a business or personal account of an executive. The attacker then requests a transfer of funds, a change in account information, or personal information. 

Here are some ways that you, your coworkers, and your staff can avoid becoming a victim of this widespread scam. 

 

  • Remind your staff and coworkers that you will never request funds to be wired urgently through email.

  • Ensure a standard process is always followed, including using a secondary channel to verify requests for changes in account information.

  • Hover over the sender’s email address to check that the address is associated with the business it claims to be from.

  • Be alert to hyperlinks that may contain misspellings of the actual business name in the email address.

  • Remind individuals to never supply login credentials or personally identifiable information (PII) in response to emails.

In early September, the U.S. Department of Justice announced 281 arrests in connection to Business Email Compromise scams, and 74 of those arrests were in the U.S. Even with these recent arrests, the FBI says the BEC scam is continuing to grow and evolve as it targets business and personal transactions.

Take Control of Password Management
We’ve all had those times when we’ve ended up locked out of our computer or account.

It won’t be long until you will be able to reset your network password and get back to work without a call to the OIT Service Desk! We will soon be launching a new tool called One Identity Password Manager Self-Service that will allow you to reset and unlock your network password to quickly and easily log back in. This service is already available to employees at CDHS, HCPF, and county human services offices — and now it is being expanded to all agencies served by OIT. Watch for an OIT Service Desk notice announcing the launch at your agency.

Building Better Connections With Video Conferencing


A new feature within your Google calendar makes it easy to share information with large groups of state employees.

Live stream allows you to reach an audience of thousands and it can easily be created from inside a calendar invite within your Google account. This is a new option that has been added to the video conferencing details section of the Google Calendar invite. With live stream you can use your webcam or share your screen for a presentation. It’s easy to use and available to all state employees. You can find more information on how to get started on TechU.


Did you know OIT has launched a new learning portal for cybersecurity training? 

Watch for information from the OIT Service Desk about how to log in and take your quarterly cybersecurity training.



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