OIT News
June 10 Deadline: Changes to Improve Cybersecurity
![Stay connected, VPN + Defender. Image of Ayres Hall and a badge icon.](https://oit.utk.edu/wp-content/uploads/News_500x300_StayConnected3.png)
The Office of Innovative Technologies implemented new security measures on June 10, 2024, to protect our campus computers and information.
Accessing Campus Resources from Off-Campus
On June 10, OIT began restricting direct access from off-campus to on-campus computing resources except for essential services. If you’re not on campus and need to use these services, you should sign in to the UTK Virtual Private Network (VPN) before connecting to the service. Please know that these changes only affect incoming Internet network connections. Access to the Internet from your system will not be affected. You will continue to be able to browse the web, download files, etc. If you’re using Canvas, Microsoft Office, or other online services while on campus, you shouldn’t notice any changes; everything will work just as it does now. OIT has been working with campus IT professionals to make these changes.
Learn more about accessing campus resources from off-campus on the OIT Employee Hub site, including information about what services are affected and any action you may need to take.
Microsoft Defender Required for All Computers
The Office of Innovative Technologies will also require all university-owned and grant-funded laptops, desktops, and servers to utilize Microsoft Defender for Endpoint software. Defender is an advanced anti-malware solution available for Windows, Windows Server, MacOS, and Linux.
Learn more about installing Microsoft Defender on the OIT Employee Hub site.
Thank you for your patience as we strive to protect our campus from cybersecurity threats.