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Security Alert: Beware of Fake “Account Shutdown” Phishing Emails

URGENT: Recent phishing campaigns are targeting Syracuse University community members with convincing fake warnings.

Phishing email example

Cybercriminals are sending emails that appear to come from Syracuse University or a representative of the University, claiming your email account will be shut down unless you take immediate action. These messages are NOT from the University and are designed to steal your personal information and passwords.

Red Flags to Watch For:

Personal Email Addresses: These fake warnings come from individual email accounts; many of them from student account, (like john.smith@syr.edu). The University does not send official account security notices from personal accounts. Legitimate communications come from official service accounts or ITS directly.

Suspicious Links: These emails contain:

  • Shortened URLs (like shorturl.at/xyz123) that hide the real destination
  • Links to Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, or WIX sites asking for personal information
  • Requests for passwords, Social Security numbers, or banking information

What to Do:

  • When in doubt, verify independently by contacting the ITS Service Center

Get Help:

  • ITS Service Center: 443-2677 or help@syr.edu
  • Your local IT Administrator

Stay vigilant and protect your digital identity. When something seems urgent or threatening, take a moment to verify before acting.

Adobe Tools for Faculty and Staff

As an Adobe Creative Campus, Syracuse University offers faculty and staff access to Adobe Express, Adobe Sign and Adobe Acrobat, which offer the following features:

  • Adobe Express: Web and mobile design tool for creating social media graphics, videos, web pages and marketing materials using templates and simple editing tools.
  • Adobe Sign: Electronic signature solution for sending, signing, tracking and managing document agreements digitally. If you have not already done so, you can request sign through the Microsoft Access Package portal.
  • Adobe Acrobat: PDF software for creating, editing, converting and managing PDF documents, including form creation and annotation tools.

Beginning March 9, 2026, if you need access to the Adobe Creative Cloud, you can request it by visiting the Microsoft Access Package portal.

Tech Tips: January 2026 Faculty/Staff Newsletter

This message was originally shared to all faculty and staff via email on January 12, 2026.

At a Glance

Each month, Information Technology Services provides tech tips for the Orange community. Pressed for time? Here are this edition’s topics:

Continue Reading

Orange Online: January 2026 Student Newsletters

This message was originally shared to all students via email on January 15, 2026.

Orange Online at a Glance

Each month, Information Technology Services provides tech tips for the Orange community. Pressed for time? Here are this edition’s topics:

ITS by the Numbers

From millions of secure network connections to thousands of support requests, research files and learning tools supported, ITS continues to power Syracuse University’s teaching, learning and research every day. Explore ITS by the Numbers to see the scale and impact of our work across campus in 2025. Video.

    Claude Resources

    Already using Claude? Discover tips, guides and short videos on our Claude resources page that help you work smarter and save time by summarizing meetings and connecting Claude with Microsoft 365 tools. The page also highlights ways to use Claude for drafting emails, supporting research and planning projects. Resources.

    Digital Accessibility Tip: Ally Makes Content Accessible

    Ally is a built-in accessibility tool in Blackboard Ultra that automatically converts course files into multiple formats. Click the Ally icon next to any file to access options like audio, electronic Braille, ePub and Immersive Reader. These formats ensure every student can access materials in the way that works best for them. Use Ally. 

    Information Security Tip: Pause Before You Click

    Phishing emails often create urgency—requesting quick action, password resets, or payment updates. Before clicking a link or opening an attachment, pause and check the sender’s email address and hover over links to confirm they’re legitimate. When in doubt, don’t click—report suspicious messages to ITS. Phish Bowl.

    AI Insights

    Explore the latest in artificial intelligence with AI Insights, the newsletter for all things AI. Whether you’re looking to enhance your work with smart tools or simply stay informed, each issue brings you news from higher ed and the tech world and weekly AI tips. Newsletter. 

    Tech Tips Weekly

    Stay connected and ahead with Tech Tips Weekly—for quick, practical advice to make the most of campus technology. Each week, our new newsletter delivers easy-to-follow how-tos, timely service updates and insider looks at the newest features, tools and resources. Subscribe. 

    Helpful Resources

    ITS and the campuswide information technology community are available year-round to help with your tech questions. Resources include:

    Thank you for reading. Go Orange!

    AI Insights for January 22, 2026

    This message was originally shared to subscribers January 22, 2026.

    Feedback Wanted

    Thanks to everyone who’s already filled out our reader survey! If you haven’t had a chance yet, we’d still love to hear from you. Your feedback helps us create content that’s actually useful to you. This short survey takes about 5 minutes. Thank you for being a reader of AI Insights!

    In This Issue

    AI is everywhere, but the rollout is messy. In higher ed, nearly everyone is using AI, yet many employees still don’t know the rules. Workers say AI is saving them serious time, but training and support remain uneven. In classrooms, educators are balancing innovation with fears about critical thinking and shortcuts. Meanwhile, public trust lags, Europe is racing for AI independence, and governments are pushing robotics forward fast.

    News and Views

    Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and other paywalled content is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.

    Education, Teaching and Learning

    Coding, Engineering and Developer Productivity

    Media and Advertising

      Policy, Geopolitics and “Sovereign AI”

      Tools, Models and Product Updates

      Tech Trends and What’s Next

      Work, Jobs and The Economy

      • AI Will Transform the Human Job and Enhance Skills, Says Science Minister (The Guardian)
      • Workers Use Time Saved by AI to Improve Their Roles, Indeed Finds (HR Dive)
      • Economic Report Shows AI Working Alongside Employees, Not Replacing Them (Anthropic)
      • Data Shows AI ‘Disconnect’ in Higher Ed Workforce (Inside Higher Ed)
      • More Than 60% of US Adults Now Start New Tasks With AI (PYMNTS)
      • McKinsey CEO Bob Sternfels Says the Firm Now Has 60,000 Employees: 25,000 of Them Are AI Agents (MSN)

        This Issue’s Tip: Claude Prompt Creator

        Creating a strong AI prompt doesn’t have to be complicated. Syracuse University’s AI Prompt Creator is a guided conversational assistant that helps you design comprehensive, high-quality prompts for AI agents on the Syracuse platform. It walks you through a structured process to define your agent’s behavior, personality, and capabilities—one question at a time—so you’re never overwhelmed. You’ll get helpful examples when needed, the chance to refine as you go, and built-in alignment with best practices and ethical guidelines.

        This Issue’s Win: AI Time Dividend Plan

        A prompt is how you ask generative AI tools to do something for you (e.g., creating, summarizing, editing or transforming). Treat it like a conversation, using clear language and enough context to get the result you have in mind.

        To get more practice, use the generative AI tool of your choice (for example, Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI ChatGPT or Anthropic Claude) to execute the following prompt:

        “I want to use AI to create real value, not just do tasks faster.

        Step 1: Ask me 5 questions to identify the ONE part of my work that feels repetitive, unclear, or draining.

        Step 2: Turn my answers into:

        • a “before vs. after” workflow (what I do now vs. what AI can help with)
        • a reusable prompt pack (5 prompts I can copy/paste weekly)
        • a 10-minute daily AI routine that saves time without lowering quality

        Step 3: Add a “trust layer” checklist I must follow every time:

        • what I should never paste into AI
        • how to verify outputs fast
        • how to cite or disclose AI help when appropriate

        Keep it practical, simple, and tailored to my role.“

        Helpful Resources

        Thank you for reading. Go Orange!