E-mail Encryption Introduction

If you use mail.gmu.edu, no changes are necessary—this e-mail program is already encrypted.

Using e-mail is one of the most popular communications tools on the Internet.  But, in many cases, e-mail is not very secure. Some e-mail programs send your username, password, and message in plain text. This can be a real problem if computer hackers want to steal this information.  Not only is it a security risk for you, but it is a security risk for George Mason University as well.

One way to protect your private e-mail information from these hackers is to use encryption technology for sending e-mail.  Encryption technology transforms your plain text into an unreadable code format.  This means that any hackers that stumble across this coded text will not be able to understand what it says.  For more information, see FAQs.

In order to protect you and the university from hackers, Mason is requiring that you use encryption on your name@gmu.edu e-mail beginning on June 1, 2006.

To help you make these changes on each computer you use to access your name@gmu.edu e-mail, the Information Technology Unit has put together instructions for several of the major e-mail programs that are used by faculty, staff, and students at Mason.  Please review the list of programs, and click on the one that you use.  Remember, you will need to make these changes to each computer you use, including the one in your George Mason Campus office (incoming and outgoing), residence hall (incoming and outgoing), and your home computer (incoming only).

IMPORTANT:  After June 1st you will have to make these changes to be able to access your e-mail.