Information and Data Security

University Faculty, Staff, and Students require secure computer systems and networks to accomplish the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service; therefore the University Information Security Office (UISO) employs measures to protect the security of its systems, networks, and accounts.

UIS Information Security Website

Key IT Security Policies

Acceptable Use Policy
UIS Technology Policies
Data Classification Policy
Password Management Best Practice
Password Reset

Encryption

Ways to Protect Yourself Online

Managing Spam Emails

Mimecast Email Security provides a suite of detection and prevention tools that enable automated blocking of malicious email. It provides a space that holds spam until the recipient chooses to release it or block it permanently.

With this protection in place, you may now receive a spam digest email titled, “You have new held messages”.This message will include a list of emails identified as spam and held by Mimecast before reaching your Georgetown inbox. Please note the following details about this new email security feature:

Digest Frequency: You will receive the digest twice a day at 10:00 a.m. EST and 3:00 a.m. EST, summarizing new spam emails since the last notification.
No Spam, No Digest: If there are no new held spam messages, you will not receive a digest.
Manage Your Held Emails: You can review and if required, release held messages from the daily digest or manage held emails at any time by logging into MySPAMPortal using your NetID@georgetown.edu email address and NetID password. Please note, spam messages are no longer available in the Spam folder.

For additional guidance, please refer to the Mimecast FAQ on the UIS website.

Reporting Phishing Emails

To help combat phishing attacks and better protect your data, you have access to the Cofense Phishing Reporter tool as an add-on to the Georgetown University Google mail interface. The Cofense Reporter add-on (Report Phishing button) appears as a fish icon () on the right-hand side toolbar of your Gmail screen.

You’ll see the Cofense Reporter add-on when you log in to your Georgetown Gmail client on your desktop or laptop computer, or when you’re using the Gmail app on your iOS or Android mobile device.

The Cofense phishing reporter application is only compatible with Georgetown Gmail apps.georgetown.edu and Gmail apps on the Android and Apple smartphones/tablets.

Your report will automatically include such information as email headers that are vital to investigating the email.

Instructions on how to report a suspicious email can be found HERE.

You can view phishing examples HERE.

To help safeguard yourself and our community, please take a moment to review the following tips for identifying cyber threats and adopting best practices:

Banking frauds: The bank will not ask for personal information via phone. If you get a call or message from someone claiming to be your bank, go to a branch or call the phone number on the back of your bank card to confirm it is a valid request.
One-Time Passcodes (OTP): Never share your OTP with anyone. Always confirm that you personally initiated the request that generated the OTP and that you entered it yourself for any purchase. Remember, once you share your OTP, your money may be at risk.
Unsolicited communications: Be wary of unsolicited emails, calls, or text messages from unknown senders, particularly those requesting sensitive information or urging immediate action.
Sender identities: Before responding to any communication, carefully verify the sender’s identity and authenticity. Look for signs of suspicious activity, such as unfamiliar email addresses or phone numbers.
Sensitive information: Refrain from sharing sensitive information such as passwords, financial details, or personal ID numbers (e.g. QID or US Social Security) via email or text messages. If it is absolutely necessary to share this type of information, use a secure channel after verifying recipient identity.

For more comprehensive information on cybersecurity, how to safeguard Georgetown data, and personal security measures, please click here. By staying informed and adhering to best practices, we can collectively strengthen our cybersecurity posture and safeguard against potential threats.

Do you think you are compromised?

An incident involves any real or suspected loss of data or misuse of the University’s information or information systems, including contamination of resources by computer viruses.

To report an incident, please either call IT User Support on +974 4457 8130 or email guqhelpcenter@georgetown.edu