Is It Spam or a Phishing Attempt?

Not all suspicious emails are the same, and understanding the difference between spam and phishing can help you stay safe online. Spam emails are unwanted messages, usually sent in bulk, that promote products, services, or content. Phishing emails are deceptive messages designed to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, financial details, or personal data.

Should I report these emails to ITS?

• Spam Emails: When you receive spam emails, you should block the sender and move the message to your junk folder. To block the sender, right click on the email from your inbox. However, you do not need to hit the Phish Alert button in Outlook for spam emails.
• Phishing Attempts: Yes, please report immediately. This Phish Alert Knowledge Base item provides step-by-step instructions.

ITS filters out approximately 300,000 known spam emails daily, so you never have to see them! This year, 4,800 emails have been reported using the Phish Alert button in Outlook. Just over half of those were confirmed as phish attempts and removed from mailboxes.

By the Numbers: 2025 ITS Accomplishments

Ongoing ITS efforts can be seen through measurable results.

Here’s what the numbers say about ongoing ITS work:

YTD as of 10/31/25

Featured Tip: Call Setting Options for Office Hours & Closures

RingCentral makes it simple to adjust your call settings with the

following features:

• Voicemail Greeting: Record a temporary message.
• Call Forwarding: Redirect incoming calls to a mobile number, colleague, or voicemail.
• Custom Call Rule: Create a rule for calls received outside of office hours or during closures to send calls to voicemail or to play a prerecorded announcement.

For more information, visit the ITS RingCentral FAQ page.

Windows 10 Extended Support Licenses Now Available

Departments may now purchase Windows 10 Extended Security Update (ESU) licenses for university-owned devices still running Windows 10 that cannot be upgraded to Windows 11. These licenses are a temporary solution to extend security support. Please note that devices more than six years old should be replaced as they pose increased security risks and may no longer be capable of receiving essential system updates. If your department needs ESU licenses or guidance on device replacement, please reach out to the ITS Help Desk for assistance.

Academic Technology Services

ITS’s Academic Technology Services (ATS) team supports faculty, staff, and students with online learning and technology needs. Each semester, ATS offers workshops to strengthen technology skills and provides a searchable library of guides, videos, and support materials. The team also assists faculty with course development, video recording, and lecture capture to help create engaging, interactive learning experiences. They also offer several additional support options, including equipment checkouts for faculty and staff and instructional design assistance for online courses.

ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS

Introduction to Panopto

and Its Features

November 18 @ 10:30 AM 

Delve into Panopto's recording, editing and sharing features to enhance your teaching strategies.

D2L Gradebook

November 18 @ 1:30 PM

Learn how to create and edit grade items, customize grade schemes, use multimedia feedback, navigate different views, and preview student grades.

Respondus LockDown

Browser and Monitor

November 19 @ 10:00 AM

Discover how to customize settings, review recordings, and prevent students from accessing unauthorized resources during exams.

D2L General Support

December 5 @ 9:00 AM-12:00 PM

Drop by room 118 in Sherrod Library for personalized support cleaning up your gradebook, setting up your Final Exam in D2L, preparing new courses, or exploring available data.

To view a full list of workshops, visit the ATS Training page.

AWS Outage Briefly Impacts Operations at ETSU

On October 20, 2025, ETSU was impacted by a worldwide outage affecting Amazon Web Services (AWS) stemming from a Domain Name Service (DNS) issue. The outage created an opportunity for ITS to share what AWS is and how ETSU uses the services. AWS is a widely used cloud platform that uses the Internet to store data, run programs, and access computing power. Basically, it’s like renting powerful online tools and storage space from Amazon. ETSU uses AWS for website content management, D2L access and Appstream access for students.

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