This month, we are marking the tenth anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). The goal is to raise awareness and educate Americans about the importance of cyber security. Agencies and organizations are holding events and driving initiatives to engage Americans in a discussion about how to establish safer practices.
NCSAM sheds light on the most pressing topics in security, including mobility, education, cyber crime and critical infrastructure. In alignment with NCSAM’s mission, we are sharing our own cyber security best practices, advice and resources.
We are proud to provide some of the country’s largest organizations and government agencies with the critical cyber security protection they need to discover, remediate and defend against cyber threats. A key point to make here is that there is no silver bullet… it will continue to take a combined effort across the industry, working closely with partners, suppliers and customers, to stay on top of the constantly evolving threats to cyber security.
I’d like to call all of us to take a closer look at our own practices, at home, at work and with our children. Let’s ask ourselves whether we trust the procedures and technology we have in place, and consider what we can do to establish greater confidence in the security of our cyber space and online interactions. I also encourage everyone to check out The National Cyber Security Alliance’s valuable resources available at www.staysafeonline.org.
A safer cyber space starts with individuals and employees. It’s easy to let simple procedures slide, especially when we become comfortable in our environment, but cyber criminals are always on watch, and security must be a 24/7 commitment. I recommend assessing your mobile security ranking with the new Secure Mobilometer. This is an assessment for individuals and organizations to better understand their mobile security habits and vulnerabilities. How will you and your agency rank?
So many small and medium sized businesses don’t realize the risk to their critical data. Properly educating individuals and businesses is the key to reducing the risk for organizations and individual users alike. If IT security is not even a blip on your radar it should be.