The first tool under review was Microsoft 365 Copilot, which integrates generative AI into the Microsoft 365 suite. This AI leverages Microsoft Graph technology to tailor outputs based on each user’s data access permissions, adding an extra layer of security. All prompts are processed by a private instance of Microsoft’s large language model (LLM), providing an…
OIT assessed Otter.AI, a generative AI tool for virtual meetings that offers transcription, note-taking, and summarization capabilities. Similar to Read.AI, which was previously prohibited on campus due to security concerns, Otter.AI aims to make meeting management more efficient by generating notes and action items. It even includes an “OtterPilot” feature, which can attend meetings in place of…
As generative AI tools rapidly evolve, faculty and staff at The University of Alabama are facing new challenges and opportunities. While many AI tools are making their way into higher education, not all offer the level of data protection required to safeguard university information. To better understand the potential benefits and risks of these technologies,…
As part of our ongoing efforts to improve and maintain our email services, The University of Alabama’s Office of Information Technology will begin auto-archiving emails over two years old for all students, faculty and staff. This decision was made after a successful pilot with alumni, retirees, OIT staff, and the IT Forum. Starting October 10,…
OIT will deploy security enhancements to protect UA data on Microsoft mobile device applications starting September 16. OIT will use Mobile Application Management (MAM) to protect UA data in University email addresses connected to Microsoft applications on mobile devices. Security enhancements include: These MAM security enhancements do not apply to any personal accounts in Microsoft…
myBama will be unavailable Saturday, August 10 from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. for minor upgrades. A myBama maintenance page will be available with links to essential services during the maintenance timeframe, and all services will be restored upon completion of the upgrades. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the IT Service Desk…
OIT will perform upgrades to the Banner platform starting Sunday, August 18, 4:00 a.m. until 10 a.m. The following related services will be unavailable during the upgrade period: If you have any questions or concerns, contact the IT Service Desk at 205-348-5555 or itsd@ua.edu.
On July 19, 2024, at 4:09 UTC, The University of Alabama’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) faced a significant challenge when a defective Crowdstrike update caused a widespread disruption across campus systems. Crowdstrike, an industry-leading platform used by UA to protect servers from cyber threats, had released a Rapid Response Content update for Windows systems, which inadvertently caused many…
DUO is the two-factor security authentication that the University of Alabama requires students and faculty to use in order to access myBama accounts. DUO now has new operation system requirements that students and faculty need review for their devices. iOS The current version of DUO Mobile supports iOS 15.0 and greater, but we cannot…
A global CrowdStrike outage early Friday morning is affecting the University of Alabama network. The current known impact is network connectivity in some areas of campus and OnBase management platform. A security incident or cyberattack did not cause this outage. CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity software detects and blocks hacking threats. Like other cybersecurity products, it requires deep-level…
