Real-Time Alerts

We would like to advise customers of a security advisory related to an incident that was identified on 10/12/2021 and mitigated on 10/13/2021. The vulnerability relates to how public videos inadvertently exposed metadata and raw data objects. All affected organization and users with object accesses have been notified. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

A new Video Conferencing release is now available that provides the following infrastructural improvements:

1. Infrastructural Improvements
   • #171884613 – Resolved issue which could prevent the screenshare from being activated on the latest Firefox browser.
   • #171724885 – Upgraded crytographic support of media streaming sub-system to use DTLS 1.2
   • #172025893 – Automatically remove the Poor Connection inline dialog that appears once the connection quality has improved.
   • #172028694 – Improved connection stream management algorithms to perform better under high-load scenarios.

A new Video Conferencing release is now available that provides the ability for the Operations Team to dynamically provision additional capacity. At the same time, we tripled the HTML5 Video Conferencing capacity and are now working on making additional improvements this week to improve the scalability.

Update from the Operations Team: This morning, we saw approximately a 300% surge in user activity commencing on Monday at 10am Pacific and continuing to increase hour-by-hour. We made the decision to quickly provision additional capacity which is now complete.

We have successfully pushed an update to all physical zones residing in the United States. Please note that this release will be pushed to Canadian and European Union zones next week. This release includes over 75+ new features and improvements.

1. Media Chooser for Canvas Extension Now Supports Video Quiz Insertion and Multi-Column Gradebook Integration
   We have implemented deeper native LMS-specific integration for Video Quizzes that expand upon the more limited LTI-based Gradebook integration (which we still support). The result is that users can create video quizzes, insert them virtually anywhere in the LMS and better track the results with multi-column gradebook integration. We’ve implemented it for all LMS’s, however we are releasing it officially in stages starting with Canvas, then Blackboard and finally D2L Brightspace and Moodle.

   

2. Architectural Changes for Improved Bandwidth Tracking and Deeper Analytics
   The new Bandwidth tab now derive source data directly from the Platform’s Content Delivery Network (CDN) edge nodes. This enables more accurate, timely and detailed analytics data. Additionally, we added tools to gather better insights into bandwidth usage including:

   – Summary Cards providing breakdowns of overall usage, utilization within groups and split between videos and non-video assets
   – Ability to view bandwidth usage by group and by digital asset object
   – “Leaderboard” for bandwidth usage by Top Media and Top Groups

   Please keep in mind that this new sub-system will begin populating with data commencing tonight for all usage henceforth.

   

3. Improved Device Scheduling Delegation Capabilities and Opt-Out Options
   To better serve organizations doing auto-scheduled recordings, we’ve introduced more structured workflows to delegate a schedule and provide opt-out options to delegated users. Administrators can delegate session opt-out to a given user who can then review and opt-out of sessions within their My Account -> Upcoming Recordings.

   

4. Audio-Only Files Can Now Be Edited with the Video Editor
   The Video Editor’s editing capabilities have been extended to edit audio-only recordings and uploaded audio files.

   

5. Ability to Edit-and-Replace-Existing Right Within the Video Editor
   To expedite edit-and-replace video editing workflows, we’ve introduced a new Replace Existing Video option directly integrated into the Save dialog of the Video Editor.

   

We also implemented about 75 smaller improvements and fixes. Some of the highlights include:

• Improved the Media Chooser LMS extension to dynamically update for any new recordings made directly from the Create Recording button. This enables click to record and then immediate LMS insertion without requiring a refresh or re-opening the Media Chooser.
• Improved API integration with Delcom in-room visual integrator integration with Software Capture application including press-button pause/resume capability.
• Implemented more useful zoom-in and zoom-out capabilities within the Video Editor. This is now easier to use for shorter video files
• Timeline elements within the Video Editor are now clickable to make adjustments to their options and values.

We have successfully pushed an update to all physical zones residing in the United States. Please note that this release will be pushed to Canadian zones next week. This release includes over 50+ new features and improvements focused primarily on improved LMS integration and sub-system infrastructure improvements including:

1. Implementation of Content Item Messaging for Non-Canvas LMS Platforms – To support LMS-authenticated media viewing – which will enable user-level analytics tracking (among other things) – for content embedded with the YuJa Media Chooser we have implemented the IMS Content Item Message (CIM) protocol.Each major LMS vendor chose to implement CIM differently so we have written up steps on how to embed media via the CIM method for your LMS. For Canvas users, we already implemented CIM last quarter and the workflows are identical to regular media embedding (since Canvas chose to implement CIM in a identical manner as regular Canvas extensions). To get started with CIM, click to view installation and usage instructions for Moodle, D2L Brightspace or Blackboard.
2. Infrastructural Improvements to Support 24/7 Streaming – To better serve some of our event broadcasting scenarios, including 24/7 OTT-type live video streaming, we have improved our sub-system infrastructure to be able to provide more robust 24/7 live streaming capabilities.
3. Updated Video Editor Capabilities – First, we have removed the deprecated Flash-based editor which now makes it easier to go directly into the HTML5 Video Editor via the Edit selection. We also improved the audio waveform synchronization and, lastly, improved the Preview Changes option. We also pushed some more minor improvements.
4. Layout Improvements to Media Player – We improved compatibility of various view types including full-screen, and full-screen-plus-side-by-side with all major web browsers. There are also about a half-dozen smaller layout improvements including resolving some rare rendering issues with certain web browsers.

In the next release, we will be adding some new Video Editor capabilities (such as text and image insertion and more), ability to create custom thumbnail options for non-video objects, a new Moodle LMS Roster Synchronization plugin, new top-bar branding options, new EnterpriseTube capabilities (ability to see Word Clouds, download transcripts, and documents), more robust recording capabilities within the HTML5 Video Conferencing suite and much more.

We have successfully pushed an update to all physical zones residing in the United States. Please note that this release will be pushed to Canadian zones next week. This release includes over 70+ new features and improvements including:

1. EnterpriseTube Event Streaming – The new Events tab on the EnterpriseTube enables organizations to live stream to their public-facing EnterpriseTube.
   
2. HTML5 Video Editor Now Supports Video Insertion – The Insert Video feature has been migrated over from the previous legacy editor. We do plan to introduce new video insertion modes in future releases.
   
3. Video Editor Now Allows Cuts and Inserts to be Previewed – The playback experience within the Video Editor now offers the ability to preview the applied cuts and inserts prior to saving the edits.
   
4. In-Progress Video Edits Show Processing Indicator – To make it clear to the user when their edits are being processed and finalized, we now display a thumbnail with a Processing indicator.
   
5. Improved Media Player Layout with Open Sidebar – When the sidebar is opened within the Media Player, the video boxes will shift and resize appropriately. This improves upon the preview “overlay” style.
   
6. HTML5 Video Conferencing Now Offers Participant Management Tools – To facilitate larger video conferencing sessions, meeting owners can now manage and group participants into permission-based roles.
   
7. Enhanced Video Views Report – The views report in the Usage & Analytics suite now Unique Views and Last Views. This makes it easier to identify candidate files for pruning.

In the next release, we have some useful capabilities on-deck including:

• New LMS Extension that supports the Content Item Messaging (CIM) protocol for D2L, Moodle and Blackboard (we implemented Canvas a few months ago). This will enable user-level analytics tracking for embedded video that uses the CIM tool and workflow. Along with this release, we will be publishing a set of Help Guides on how to the CIM workflow works for your LMS.
• Ability to overlay an image or watermark using the HTML5 Video Editor
• New HTML5 Video Conferencing capabilities including improved live chat, whiteboard capabilities, and object durability within the recording
• 24/7 Live Streaming will be added to complement the newly added EnterpriseTube-level Live Streaming

We have successfully pushed 5 optimizations focused on improving the dynamic generation and loading of the new Overview tab for Visual Analytics. The result of this optimization is that on our customer’s production data workloads, there is a 5x improvement in load speed compared to the version we deployed on Friday.

We have successfully pushed an update to all zones. This release includes:

1. Workflow Update to the Capture & Live Stream – This workflow simplifies how to initiate a capture and live-stream, including reducing the number of clicks required.
2. New Admin Panel Overview tab – This tab provides Administrators with a cursory overview of the activity that’s happening within their enterprise’s zone. We are in the process of updating all the Platform’s sub-systems to send all their normal and abnormal alerts (e.g. low audio signals, auto-schedule failures, etc.) to this centralized console over the coming releases. The overall product vision for this Admin Panel -> Overview tab is alerts filtering in real-time from various sub-systems and remote device nodes (capture devices) that are placed in your physical environment.
3. Refined Media Player Controls – We made some tweaks to the Scrubber Bar positioning that makes it easier for users to utilize the player controls, as well as, better uses the on-screen space. This update also paves the way to an upcoming feature for customizing the player controls (“player skins”).
4. Hub Preview Confidence Migrated to HTML5 – Admins will notice that we shifted the Device Preview control from an embedded Flash applet to an HTML5 one.
5. Refinements to the Metadata Schema Workflow – Recognizing that metadata data-entry can be cumbersome for users, we have added some explanatory animation and alerts in situations where Required Fields need to be filled out. Some additional metadata schema improvements and bug fixes are also part of this.
6. Gradual Transition to Self-Service RESTFul API Use – We will be transitioning use of our RESTFul APIs from an On-Prior Approval Model to a Self-Service Model in Q1 of 2018. As part of this, the API Key generation is now available within the Admin Panel.
7. Alert Toasts Now Match Look-and-Feel of Platform – You’ll notice that the Toast Messages that appear now match the Platform’s look-and-feel better.
8. Refined Main Menu Panel – To improve the overall usability of the Platform, we added additional short explanations for each of the Main Menu tiles.
9. Media Pipeline Improvement to Handle Resolution Fragments Better – In instances where a screen resolution change occurs during an active Software Capture, our media pipeline now performs a post-capture re-stitch of the various resolution fragments to create a cohesive media object. The pipeline also will perform media processing retries of captures that have not uploaded within a week to the YuJa Cloud. The pipeline will also now send a warning alert email to users whose media has not uploaded within a week.

Additionally, we will be releasing an update to the Software Capture for PC next week and making available an optional Hardware Hub Firmware the following week. We will provide more details on each of these updates when we make available these off-cycle releases.

A total of 168 features, improvements, and fixes were released within this update. If you have questions on anything with this release, please do not hesitate to email support@yuja.com.

We have successfully pushed an update to all zones. This release includes:

1. Ability to create “virtual edits” using the Sub Clip capability within the HTML5 Player. This enables Content Owners to send a video link that plays at a certain start point or sub-section without needing to use the Video Editor to create a new copy.
2. Improved accessibility of HTML5 Player with new use of highlight color on the buttons, the ability to initiate the initial play action with only the keyboard, and the ability to incrementally control the volume bar with only the up-and-down keys.
3. Improvements to IMS role mappings to ensure LTI mapping roles are preserved within a Course for TA and other non-student and instructor roles.
4. UI improvements including improved thumbnail icon for videos and more consistent dialog format across the Platform.
5. Ability to customize the name of your Login options. For example, if your institution calls your Single-Sign-On a institution-specific name, you can now use that in the Platform label.

We also used this release to improve a total of 115 separate items across the Platform. Looking ahead to October and early November we will be introducing some key features including: Metadata Schema Management and Enforcement, new filtering tools for administrators to better track Accessibility Compliance across all video assets, brand new secure HTML5 Live Streaming Player, configurable Transcoding Profiles, an update to the YuJa Software Station for PC, and much more.

Important Notes:

1. We introduced a feature to set a customizable color for the Sliding Side Bar within the Platform. This also updated the rendering of the icon colors which your web browser may have cached. To see your new or customized color palette, please clear your browser cache.
2. With the new ability to customize Platform Login options, Administrators will need to re-select their preferred Login method. We apologize for the oversight in setting the most likely default for institutions.