October's National Cyber Security Awareness Month launched

Published 30 September 2010

Dozens of cybersecurity initiatives to reach consumers, students, and businesses; the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), DHS, and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, have sponsored National Cyber Security Awareness Month every October since its founding in 2003

The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), a public-private partnership focused on educating a digital citizenry to stay safe and secure online, says it continues to see growing interest and participation in the 2010 National Cyber Security Awareness Month from a variety of companies, educators, and government agencies.

NCSA, along with DHS and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, sponsors National Cyber Security Awareness Month every October since its founding in 2003. The three organizations work together to help consumers, schools, businesses, and government agencies stay safe online, with October being a special time for focused public awareness and education.

The month will kick off with three major events on the West and East Coasts:

  • On 4 October the NCSA will hold the National Cyber Security Awareness Month Launch Event at the Seattle Public Library in Seattle, Washington, from 9 am to 12 pm Pacific Time (12 to 3 pm Eastern Time). Howard Schmidt, special assistant to the president and cybersecurity coordinator of the White House, and Jane Holl Lute, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will deliver keynotes at the event. The NCSA along with several partners and senior government officials will launch a new public education and awareness campaign created by government and industry. For more information and to register to attend visit: http://ncsamlaunch2010.eventbrite.com/ .
  • Also as part of the launch event on 4 October, TechAmerica and the NCSA will kick off National Cyber Security Awareness Month from the East Coast from 9 am to 11 am Pacific Time (12 to 2 pm Eastern Time), hosted by Lockheed Martin in Arlington, Virginia. Speakers will include Charles Croom, vice president of cyber security solutions, Lockheed Martin Information Systems &Global Solutions, and Phil Bond, president and CEO, TechAmerica. The Seattle and Arlington events will each be simulcast so that participants can attend the events virtually. For more information and to register visit:http://www.techamerica.org/cybersecurity2010.
  • In addition, the NCSA and the Anti-Phishing Working Group will hold an all-day event on 6 October at Intel corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, California. The event will be a celebration and call to action to employ the new unified message created by a coalition of industry, nonprofit and government. Panels will discuss details of the campaign, the research that was conducted, and how together we can implement this message to make people safer and more secure online and create a culture of cyber awareness.