Service Summary
Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) antivirus software is available for all Mason-owned Windows and Mac devices managed in MESA or Jamf. Only devices managed can receive the antivirus software.
Key Features
- Always-on scanning using file and process behavior monitoring and other real-time protection
- Discovers vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in real-time without the need for agents or periodic scans
- Detects and blocks apps that are deemed unsafe, but may not be detected as malware
- Eliminates risky or unnecessary attack vectors (paths hackers use to gain unauthorized access) and restricts dangerous code from running
- Leverages artificial intelligence to automatically investigate alerts and remediate complex threats
- Uses behavior-based machine learning to identify suspicious activity and advanced attack techniques
- Cloud-delivered protection that includes near-instant detection and blocking of new and emerging threats
- Regularly updates to keep antivirus up-to-date
Getting This Service
Microsoft Defender ATP is available to Mason-owned Windows or Mac systems managed through MESA or Jamf.
Unmanaged Mason-owned systems will need to be managed in order to receive the updated antivirus protection. To request to have a Mason-owned device managed, click the Request Managed Enrollment button.
System Administrators
Please contact the ITS Support Center for additional information.
Availability
This service is available 24/7, excluding planned outages, normal maintenance windows, and unavoidable events. Maintenance windows are Sundays from 7 to 11 a.m. but may be extended to 2 p.m., if needed. If maintenance is required outside of these hours, it will be announced on the Alerts & Bulletins page.
Policy
All users of the George Mason University network must adhere to University Policy Number 1301: Responsible Use of Computing.
Additional Information
Students and employees using personally-owned computers are encouraged to continue using antivirus software to protect their systems. ITS recommends these free options:
- For Windows: Avast, AVG, Sophos, Microsoft Windows Defender
- For Mac: Avast, AVG, Sophos