UH IT services have reported suspicious computer-hacking attempts on campus and throughout the state.
“UIT Security has received reports of suspicious phone calls received by UH employees that appear to be attempts by hackers to gain unauthorized access to university computers,” said Executive Director of IT Security Mary E. Dickerson in a campus-wide email.
“We also received notification from the State of Texas Chief Information Security Officer that employees at other state agencies are also receiving these calls.”
One computer user on campus answered the phone to a caller claiming to be troubleshooting a problem with the building’s WiFi. The caller tried to run a remote controlling program that would give the caller access to the user computer. The user, becoming suspicious of the caller, hung up the phone.
In a similar incident, the caller claimed to be helping purge the system of a virus and that he, the caller, would be helping the user to make changes to the computer. The user asked for the caller’s name and company, and at this point the caller hung up.
UIT security is asking all students and UH employees to be alert when using the campus computer system.
“Do not provide any information regarding university computers or accounts over the phone to people you do not know,” Dickerson said. “University IT staff will not ask you for this information.”
“If you have concerns about the validity of someone who is contacting you or if have received a phone call such as described above, please report this immediately to UIT Security at [email protected].”
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