Cybersecurity Incident Disrupts Systems

Physics Computer Support Center leads department and college response to IT security breach

In early 2024, K-State faced a significant challenge as a cybersecurity incident severely disrupted the university network. This event led to widespread changes at both the departmental and university levels. During recovery from the incident, users experienced disruptions to essential services including VPN, email, Canvas and Mediasite videos, printing, shared drives, and mailing list management (listservs).

Our department was incredibly fortunate to have the Physics Computer Support Center (PCSC) IT gurus guiding us through the incident. Their sustained operational excellence, commitment to training, and decades of expertise were essential in minimizing the impact of the incident to the physics department and speeding the recovery efforts. PCSC director Larry McFeeters answered the call to lead the entire College of Arts & Sciences incident response. Larry spearheaded efforts on policy, hardware, and software changes to meet the University's new requirements. Larry was ably assisted in this monumental task by PCSC’s Vince Needham and Liam McFeeters, who provided invaluable support to Larry and the entire department.

In the wake of the incident, we have been required to implement some important changes to enhance IT security. This included transitioning from our cherished phys.ksu.edu e-mail server to the university system, installation of enhanced cybersecurity tools, ,and adhering to new requirements for access to campus computing.

While many of the changes have been beneficial, some adjustments have presented challenges for personnel. These include new protocols which do not allow us to automatically forward email to outside providers and revised policies regarding how long email accounts remain active for former employees and retirees. We believe these new rules have on the whole produced a safer and more useful IT environment for all of us all going forward; but if you feel that K-State IT changes have made it harder to stay connected to K-State Physics, please send Larry, Vince, and Liam an e-mail at pcschelp@phys.ksu.edu to see what they can do to help.

Our department, and indeed the entire College, is incredibly grateful for the outstanding IT team we have. Their dedication and expertise have been instrumental in guiding us through this period of significant change.