Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation Monday declaring October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Iowa.
“Without question, we live in an ever-changing and fast-paced world,” Gov. Reynolds said. “Now, more than ever, it’s vital to raise awareness of the cyber threats we face every day.”
The State of Iowa recognizes its vital role in identifying, protecting from and responding to cyber threats that may have significant impacts on security and privacy. Critical infrastructure sectors are increasingly reliant on information systems and technology to support financial services, energy, telecommunications, transportation, utilities, healthcare and emergency response systems.
The Stop.Think.Connect.™ campaign serves as the national cybersecurity public awareness campaign. It is implemented through a coalition of private companies, nonprofit and government organizations and academic institutions working together to increase understanding of cyber threats and empowering the American public to be safer and more secure online.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Critical Infrastructure Cyber Community (C3) Voluntary Program have been developed as free resources to help organizations implement the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
Maintaining cyberspace security is a shared responsibility, and every Iowan has a critical role to play as awareness of computer security essentials will improve the security of Iowa’s information, infrastructure and economy.