In mid-July, 2018, IT Services will begin implementing a new system to manage IT support tickets. Although this implementation mainly affects internal processing of support tickets, it will introduce changes to the automated notification emails you receive when you submit IT support tickets. Find out more about the IT Service Management project in the McGill Reporter.
What’s changing for notification emails
- The FROM name will appear as “McGill IT Support” instead of “ICS Customer Services”
- Email subject and message content will differ depending on the type and status of the ticket
- New format for reference numbers, corresponding to the way support tickets are classified: “TKT” for general inquiries and how-to questions, “INC” for incidents, where something doesn’t work, “REQ” and “RITM” for Service Requests and Requested Items
- The email signature will include the McGill IT Services branding and logo
- When an Incident is resolved you will have the opportunity to click a link to keep the incident open or another link to close. Those links simply open a new email to itsupport [at] mcgill.ca with the information needed to take the appropriate action.
How to tell the difference between IT Support notifications and phishing attempts.
Cyber criminals often attempt to copy the look and feel of institutional emails, in an effort to lure unsuspecting recipients to click on links and then divulge their credentials or other personal information. This practice, known as phishing, occurs on large scales at institutions such as universities, banks and government offices. (See more information on Phishing scams and how to protect yourself)
So, how can you tell the difference between McGill’s emails and phishing attempts? It isn’t always easy to spot a fraud, but you can certainly ignore any emails referring to IT support tickets if you have not submitted a ticket. Also, keep in mind these clues:
- All automated IT Support notifications will be sent from IT Support, with the email address itsupport [at] mcgill.ca.
- The link to our feedback survey will contain the domain name “service-now.com”.
- Links to "reopen incident" or "close now" will only send a new email to itsupport [at] mcgill.ca. They should not take you to another website.
If you are ever in doubt about the validity of an email, you can always contact the IT Service Desk by email, phone, or by forwarding the suspicious message to phishing [at] mcgill.ca. You can also check the IT Security Alerts web page, where we list all known McGill-targeted phishing attempts.
