Today’s newsletter focuses on all things browsers: new features, best practices, and a new Mac update initiative that helps keep campus browsers secure and up to date.
Workshops
Intro to Agentic AI Browsers
Tuesday, March 24th
10:00 am – 10:45 am
Hillel 101
Zach Nix, ITS
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March Browser Workshops
With the continual release of new agentic AI browsers, ITS will host an introductory session exploring this emerging category of tools. In this workshop, we’ll introduce four different browser options, demonstrate how they can assist with research, and discuss important security considerations, especially around default password imports.
Recently, ITS has also collaborated with colleagues across campus to offer department-specific training and information sessions, most lasting less than 30 minutes. Recent topics include:
- Why Should My Department Try Microsoft Teams?
- Box AI for Mobile
- Outlook Mobile
- Box AI & Box Hubs Demo
- Summer and Fall Training Needs
Interested in a targeted training session for your department in person or via Zoom or Teams? We’d be happy to help. Contact us at help@wlu.edu to start the conversation.
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Selling Online: 30 Years on eBay
Bring your lunch and join Tom Marcais for a practical, beginner‑friendly session grounded in his 30 years of experience selling Vintage Paper Ads and other items on eBay. With over 50,000 items sold, more than 190,000 active listings, and 100% positive feedback, Tom brings real‑world expertise to selling online. In this session, Tom will share why he chose eBay as his platform of choice, explain how buyer and seller protections work, and walk you through how to get started selling safely and confidently!
Thursday, March 19th
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Hillel 101
Tom Marcais, ITS
Reserve Your Spot
Browser Compatibility: Why Having 2 Browsers Matters
According to StatCounter Global Stats, Chrome holds 73% of the desktop browser market share worldwide as of February 2026, far ahead of Edge (11%), Safari (6%), and Firefox (4%).
While you may prefer Edge, Safari, or Firefox for your daily browsing, having Chrome installed as a backup can save time when troubleshooting. Many W&L web applications are primarily tested on Chrome, meaning compatibility issues are less common.
ITS Recommendation:
- Keep using your preferred browser for everyday work.
- Have a second browser ready as a troubleshooting tool for when websites don’t load correctly, forms won’t submit, or video won’t play.
Outlook Mobile Continues to be Better for W&L Email & Calendars
| Feature / Capability | Outlook Mobile App (iOS & Android) | Mail / Calendar Apps (iOS & Android) |
| Global Address List (GAL) Lookup | Directory integrated | Limited |
Last month’s newsletter highlighted 12 reasons why Outlook Mobile is a better choice for W&L email. One key benefit was improved Global Address List (GAL) integration.
In the last three iOS updates, some iPhone users have experienced issues with the Global Address List in Apple Mail and Calendar. While Apple continues to address these concerns, Outlook Mobile users have continued to experience seamless W&L directory integration, making it easy to find colleagues, schedule meetings, and send email without interruption.
Check Out These Outlook Mobile Trainings by Topic
Automated Updates for Core Mac Applications
Starting in March, ITS will begin automatically updating several core applications on all university‑owned Mac computers, including Box Drive, Firefox, Chrome, Zoom, Keeper Password Manager, and TeamViewer QuickSupport. More applications will be added later.
This new process has been running on ITS and pilot group Macs for months without any issues.
How it works:
- Only apps already installed on your Mac will be updated.
- If the app is open, you’ll get a W&L Self Service pop‑up with up to 7 days to run the update. After that, Jamf will give a 10‑minute warning before closing, updating, and reopening the app automatically.
- If the app is not in use, the update will install quietly in the background.
Read more about Automated Updates for Mac FAQs on the ITS Blog
Quarantine in Outlook: How to Stay Safe When Reviewing Suspicious Email
Microsoft 365 provides an essential security layer for the W&L community: Quarantine. When the system detects a message that looks suspicious, for example, a message with malicious links, dangerous attachments, or signs of spoofing, it automatically routes that email to Quarantine instead of your Inbox.
Use Caution When Releasing Messages from Quarantine
Cybercriminals often spoof trusted senders like the ITS Helpdesk or W&L leadership. When these messages land in Quarantine, users may assume the alert is a false positive and click “Release,” unknowingly delivering a dangerous message directly into their Inbox. Once released, the message behaves like any other email, including any malicious links or attachments.
If you find an @wlu.edu email in your Quarantine folder, you can assume it’s a phish and should not be released.
Read more about How to Use Quarantine Safely on the ITS Blog
Agentic AI Browsers
March 11 marks the release of Comet, Perplexity’s new AI browser and assistant for iPhone. In recent months, a new generation of agentic AI browsers, such as Comet by Perplexity, Atlas by ChatGPT, Gemini in Chrome, and the Claude in Chrome browser extension, has brought powerful “AI assistants” to desktop browsers. Their ability to work across multiple tabs, synthesize research, and automate tasks is exciting, but it also introduces new security considerations.
To help everyone use these tools safely, Dean Tallman, our Chief Information Security Officer, offers the following guidance:
1. Don’t Import Passwords Automatically
When setting up an AI-enabled browser, avoid accepting the default option to import passwords from another browser. Keeping your credentials out of AI-driven environments reduces the risk of unintended access or misuse.
2. Use Logged-Out Mode Whenever Possible
Keep AI tools in logged-out mode by default. Only sign in manually when absolutely necessary, and when you do, use least-privilege accounts to limit exposure.
3. Separate Your Browsing Profiles
Run AI agents in a dedicated browser profile with no connection to your personal or work accounts. For especially sensitive activities, use a different browser altogether to fully isolate AI activity from private data.
4. Avoid Sensitive Tasks in AI Browsers
Do not use agentic AI for activities involving personal or financial information, such as banking, medical portals, or online purchases. Keep those actions in your normal, non-AI browser.
5. Remember: Don’t Assume That AI will Detect Fraud
AI agents may not recognize suspicious behavior, phishing, or scams. They simply carry out instructions. Treat them as automation tools, not as a layer of security.
Stata Now Licensed Campuswide
W&L now has a campuswide license for Stata, which includes all faculty, staff, and students. Stata is a complete, integrated software package that provides all your data science needs—data manipulation, visualization, statistics, and automated reporting. The software package is available for download on both university and personal computing devices.
Access the installer, license, and instructions from a W&L only shared folder on Box.
Apple Tip of the Month
Add Tab to New Split View in Chrome
Chrome’s split view feature lets you see two websites side‑by‑side in the same window, making it easier to multitask without constantly switching tabs.
On an opened tab, you can open tabs in split view.
Active tab:
- Right-click the active tab
- Select Add Tab to New Split View
- Drag-and-drop the tab to the right or left
Open links in split view:
- Right-click on the link
- Select Open Link in Split View
PC Tip of the Month
Add Tab to New Split View in Chrome
Chrome’s split view feature lets you see two websites side‑by‑side in the same window, making it easier to multitask without constantly switching tabs.
On an opened tab, you can open tabs in split view.
Active tab:
- Right-click the active tab
- Select Add tab to new split view
- Drag-and-drop the tab to the right or left
Open links in split view:
- Right-click on the link
- Select Open link in split view
General Genius
Set Up For Success
As one of our colleagues prepares for retirement, they’re leaving behind work in the form of a clear digital trail. By consistently saving files in the department’s root-level Box folder, they’ve ensured that their successor will inherit organized folders, subfolders, and linked materials without any guesswork. The next employee can open the Box departmental shares and pick up right where things were left off.
It’s a smart reminder for all of us: files saved outside the department’s Box structure can be overlooked, difficult to locate, or even inaccessible when roles change. Taking a moment now to store your work in the appropriate Box folders keeps your team informed, preserves institutional knowledge, and sets up the next person for success.
If you see Box Service under the sharing section of a folder, your folder is in the right place.
If you happen to see Box Deprovisioning under the sharing section of a folder you rely on, that folder is set to expire. It may have been owned by a user that has left the university. If you see Box Deprovisioning for any Box folders, submit a Helpdesk ticket to have the folder moved to the correct department Box folder.
