National Cyber Security Awareness Month Kick Off With Theme of “Shared Responsibility”

Posted from Federal Blue Print – http://federalblueprint.com/2013/national-cyber-security-awareness-month-kick-theme-shared-responsibility/

This month the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) kicks off the 10^th anniversary of its National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is lead by NCSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This year’s theme is “Our Shared Responsibility,” and today the NCSA is hosting an event at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston where industry and government leaders will discuss ways we can make the Internet safer and more secure in the decade to come.

Over the past 10 years, cyber security challenges have increased tremendously thanks to the proliferation of social networking, cloud computing and mobile solutions. As a result, the NCSA is calling on everyone who uses the Internet to play a role in enhancing cyber safety.

Nowhere is cyber security more important than the government arena. From defense and intelligence to agencies hosting massive volumes of citizen data, the government is continually challenged to be ahead of the cyber safety curve.

Fortunately, many agencies are being proactive in protecting their networks. The Department of Energy is investing $30 million to develop new tools to protect the electrical grid and gas and oil infrastructures from cyber attacks.

In addition, the Department of Homeland Security is currently developing continuous monitoring services and solutions to strengthen the cyber security of government networks.

However, as well all know, government still faces ongoing challenges when it comes to cyber security. According to the GAO, DHS needs to fill gaps in cyber personnel, with one-in-five cyber security positions being vacant. The Information Sharing Environment (ISE) recently issued a report, which found that 44 percent of 39 agencies had not yet met the minimum standards required for an effective insider threat program.

Effective cyber security programs require the most vigilant professionals and solutions for keeping one-step ahead of our hackers and online adversaries. With technological innovations moving at lightening speed, it is difficult for any organization to manage and mitigate all current and potential threats.

We would like to commend NCSA for advocating for enhanced cyber security over the past decade, and sharing the message of shared accountability. For our nation to overcome today’s cyber threats, we all need to be working together in more effective ways.