UD marks National Cyber Security Awareness Month

ADVERTISEMENT

UDaily is produced by Communications and Marketing
The Academy Building
105 East Main Street
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716 • USA
Phone: (302) 831-2792
email: ocm@udel.edu
www.udel.edu/ocm

Editor’s note: This is the first article in a series in observance of National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

1:06 p.m., Oct. 1, 2010----Since 2004, EDUCAUSE, the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and other national organizations have declared October to be National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and the University of Delaware has joined in the annual effort to promote cyber security to the campus community.

THIS STORY
Email E-mail
Delicious Print
Twitter

“During National Cyber Security Month, we will make you aware of some of the things you can do to protect your personal information and the information with which you have been entrusted,” Scott Sweren, the University of Delaware's information security officer, said.

Without following proper cyber security practices, you are putting yourself and others at risk. As Sweren commented, “It's essential that each individual understand that one person's actions can affect the security of an entire network.”

Sweren said Gov. Jack Markell's proclamation declaring October to be Cyber Security Awareness Month in Delaware echoed that sentiment. “The proclamation states that everyone has a role to play in ensuring the safety and security of cyberspace. Security is not just the responsibility of network administrators. All of us who use email or the Web need to use stronger security practices in everything we do online.”

Throughout October, UD Information Technologies (IT) will promote the message that cyber security is all of our shared responsibility by:

  • Presenting at the IT Tech Fair on Oct. 19;
  • Updating security posters in the computing labs;
  • Publishing a series of UDaily articles about cyber security;
  • Providing links to cyber security competitions appropriate for college students, some of which award scholarships; and
  • Offering training classes on security topics for IT professionals.

Sweren said that the University's cyber security campaign will remind the campus community of the steps everyone needs to take. “We each must use strong passwords; keep our computer's software current -- operating system, programs, Web browsers, and antivirus and antispyware software; watch out for suspicious email, Web pages, and social networking activities; and back up our work,” he said, adding, “For all of our safety, cyber security practices should be part of everyone's routine.”

If you have ideas on security-related information you would like to see on campus, feel free to contact Sweren via email at [secadmin@udel.edu].

For more information, visit these websites:

The National Cyber Security Alliance website
State of Delaware's Cyber Security website
UD's National Cyber Security Awareness Month website
Computer Security at UD
UD Computer Security Twitter feed
IT Help Center

close