October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month
From staysafeonline.org:
Our lives are becoming Web-based.
As the Internet becomes pervasive, we are online from home, school, work, and in between on mobile devices. Even when we are not directly connected, our economy and much of the everyday infrastructure we rely on uses the Web.
Ultimately, our cyber infrastructure is only as strong as the weakest link. No individual, business, or government entity is solely responsible for cyber security. Everyone has a role and everyone needs to share the responsibility to secure their part of cyberspace and the networks they use. The steps we take may differ based on what we do online and our responsibilities. However, everyone needs to understand how their individual actions have a collective impact on cyber security.
The sixth annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month is being celebrated during October 2009 as a collective effort among the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Security Division, the National Cyber Security Alliance, and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.
Cyber Security Awareness Month highlights the importance of empowering citizens, businesses, government and schools to improve their cyber security preparedness and help promote a safe Internet experience. This year’s theme focuses on shared responsibility. In this digital age, we are all connected; the actions of one can impact many.
The National Cyber Security Alliance developed a list of top tips for staying safe online:
- Know who you’re dealing with online.
- Keep your Web browsers and operating system up-to-date.
- Back up important files.
- Protect your children online.
- Use security software tools as your first line of defense.
- Use strong passwords or strong authentication technology to help protect your personal information.
- Learn what to do if something goes wrong.
More information about this campaign can be found at: