Information Technology Services (ITS) reminds Mason employees and students to remain cautious during the holiday season and consider the following preparations before leaving for winter break.
- Turn off all non-essential devices, including computers, servers, printers, and monitors in your offices and on-campus residences. If you telecommute, log out of systems you are not using.
- Clean up any unnecessary files stored on your computer or the MESA M:drive. After the winter break, ITS will move forward with the project to migrate data off the MESA M:drive. Get more information about the project.
- Report any phishing or suspicious emails to the ITS Support Center at 703-993-8870 or support@gmu.edu.
In addition, employees and students are reminded to remain cautious when online.
- Never share your username, password, or Two-Factor (2FA) Authentication code with anyone. These requests come from cybercriminals trying to compromise accounts to steal money and information.
- Do not click on links or download attachments in emails from strangers, and ignore any requests for gift cards or money.
- Only connect to known or trusted Wi-Fi networks.
- Ensure your operating system and web browser are up-to-date before making online purchases.
The ITS Support Center will close on Friday, Dec. 15, at 5 p.m. in observance of Mason’s winter break. It will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, at 8 a.m. with modified hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at at 8 a.m.
If you have an emergency while the ITS Support Center is closed, please call 703-993-8870 and listen to the prompts to be connected to a representative. Up-to-date information regarding alerts can be found at its.gmu.edu/alerts.
Additional information about phishing and precautions is available at its.gmu.edu.