By John Sadler

Regional UASI Planner

In today’s modern world, there are only a few aspects of life that are not touched, even dependent on computers and information sharing via network connections. At any given second, thousands of Hampton Roads citizens are uploading and downloading information as they go about their daily lives. Whether it be a quick Facebook status update, checking your bank account balance online, or even sharing of sensitive documents with coworkers, omitting the cyber component from daily life is almost impossible.

What if the information you were sharing got into the wrong hands? How would your daily behavior change knowing that business competitors, criminals, identity thieves and even terrorist were viewing the information you were sharing online. To raise awareness of what President Obama calls, 'one of the most serious economic and national security threats our nation faces,' the US Department of Homeland Security is sponsoring the “National Cyber Security Awareness” month for October, 2010.  This campaign is focused on educating Americans of the threats they face online, and providing tips and techniques to help mitigate those threats.
 
For more information on the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Security Awareness Campaign:

http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1158611596104.shtm#content

What can you do to protect yourself and your information? Here are few good places to start:

• Tips by the US Department of Homeland Security’s Computer Emergency Readiness Team
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/
• Practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry
• http://www.onguardonline.gov
• National Cyber Security Alliance
• http://www.StaySafeOnline.org