ROME, NY — Griffiss Institute (GI) today announced that it has become a Champion of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2018. The GI will be joining a growing global effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations and individuals to promote the awareness of online safety and privacy.
A multi-layered and far-reaching campaign held annually in October, NCSAM was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure all digital citizens have the resources needed to stay safer and more secure online while also protecting their personal information. As an official Champion, Griffiss Institute recognizes their commitment to cybersecurity, online safety and privacy.
“Every year, the issue of cybersecurity gets bigger and more problematic. As we approach the reality of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), cybersecurity awareness becomes even more significant. The IoT refers to the giant network of connected devices that allows virtually all our devices to talk to each other. With this connectivity, security becomes an even bigger obstacle. It’s not too farfetched to imagine someone hacking into your toaster and getting access to your entire network”, says Bill Wolf, President of the Griffiss Institute. “The GI is committed all year long, and especially during National Cyber Security Awareness Month, to helping empower individuals, parents, kids, small and big business owners, to become more cyber aware. These types of problems are not going away, and the public needs to learn the best practices in which to defend themselves, not only on their computers, but the vast amount of wireless and connected devices that are becoming even more vulnerable today.”
Co-founded and led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), NCSAM has grown exponentially since its inception, reaching consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, corporations, government entities, the military, educational institutions and young people nationally and internationally. NCSAM 2017 was an unprecedented success, generating 4,316 news stories – an increase of 68 percent in comparison to NCSAM 2016’s media coverage. Kicking off its 15th year, NCSAM 2018 presents an unparalleled opportunity to leverage the month’s tremendous adoption growth over the last several years and expand cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness globally.
“The Champion program continues to be a such a strong foundation for National Cyber Security Awareness Month’s ongoing and impactful success. In 2017, 1,050 organizations enlisted to support the month – a 21-percent increase from the previous year,” said Russ Schrader, NCSA’s executive director. “We are thankful to our 2018 Champion organizations for their support and commitment to our shared responsibility of promoting cybersecurity, online safety awareness and the opportunity to protect our privacy.”
As part of Griffiss Institute’s NCSAM efforts, throughout the month of October, the organization will post online safety tips and reminders on all their social media profiles, as well as the Griffiss Institute website, take part in online safety Twitter Chats, and display online safety materials throughout the GI office building.
For more information about NCSAM, the Champion program, and how to participate in a wide variety of activities, visit staysafeonline.org/ncsam. You can also follow and use the official NCSAM hashtag #CyberAware on Twitter throughout the month.