October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! This year’s theme is “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.”

Information Technology Services will observe Cybersecurity Awareness Month with daily tweets, presentations, and an Ask Me Anything Reddit thread.

October 1 also kicks off annual IT Security Awareness Training for Mason employees. Those required to complete this training received an email with details and can access their assigned training at masonleaps.gmu.edu. See: IT Security Awareness Training Info

Throughout the month, @GeorgeMasonITS will provide a daily tip about online safety and security. If you are not following ITS on Twitter, now is a great time to join us. Each day there will be a tweet you can retweet tips about online safety and security.

• On Thursday, October 14, at 3 p.m., Sherif Hashem, a professor in George Mason University’s Information Science and Technology Department, will speak. He is a senior IEEE member and certified information security manager. Hashem is a member of the Board of Directors for Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) and the African Union’s Cybersecurity Expert Group (AUCSEG). He has led key cybersecurity efforts at the national level and has set up the framework for further developing the Egyptian Computer Emergency Readiness. Zoom link: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/93273856783
• [Canceled; New date forthcoming] On Wednesday, October 20, at 3 p.m., Dr. Tom Winston will speak. He is a cybersecurity subject matter expert focused on threats to critical infrastructure systems, foreign cyber intelligence, and threat analysis. Winston has public and private sector experience in IT/OT threat environments, including hunting, detection engineering, and reverse engineering. He is a former professor who was an undergraduate and graduate student advocate. He is currently the director of Intelligence Content for Dragos. Zoom link: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/99965800361
• On Thursday, October 28, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the IT Security Office staff will host a live Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread at u/gmu_it_security. Jump in to get answers to your questions about online safety and security.