Pioneer Telephone Cooperative, Inc. today announced its commitment to Cybersecurity Awareness Month, held annually in October, by signing up as a Champion and joining a growing global effort to promote the awareness of online safety and privacy. The Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champions Program is a collaborative effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations and individuals, committed to this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme of ‘Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.’ The program aims to empower individuals and organizations to own their role in protecting their part of cyberspace.
“This year’s unprecedented events have shown just how crucial being connected can be,” says Chad Kliewer, Information Security Officer at Pioneer. “We want to do our part to help everyone stay connected and to do so in a safe and secure way. There are many dangers on the internet, and it is my goal to make everyone aware of those dangers and not be afraid of them. If everyone takes personal responsibility for the devices they connect to the internet, it will be safer for all. Be on the lookout for online safety tips via social media messages from Pioneer and other partners throughout the month of October!”
The overarching message of this year’s theme, ‘If you Connect it, Protect it,’ dives into the importance of keeping connected devices safe and secure from outside influence. More than ever before, connected devices have been woven into society as an integral part of how people communicate and access services essential to their well-being. Data collected from these devices can detail highly specific information about a person or business, which can be exploited by bad actors for their personal gain. Cybersecurity Awareness Month aims to shed light on these security vulnerabilities, while offering guidance surrounding simple security measures to limit the susceptibility of threats for commonly used devices.
This year, the Cybersecurity Awareness Month’s main weekly focus areas will revolve around:
● Understanding and following general security hygiene for connected devices and home networks
● The importance of connected devices security for remote workers
● How connected devices play a pivotal role in the future of healthcare; and
● The overall future of connected devices for consumers, professionals and the public domain
If everyone does their part – implementing stronger security practices, raising community awareness, educating vulnerable audiences or training employees – our interconnected world will be safer and more resilient for everyone.
Now in its 17th year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month continues to build momentum and impact with the ultimate goal of providing everyone with the information they need, to stay safer and more secure online. Pioneer is proud to support this farreaching online safety awareness and education initiative which is co-led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“Cybersecurity is important to the success of all businesses and organizations. NCSA is proud to have such a strong and active community helping to encourage proactive behavior and prioritize cybersecurity in their organizations,” said Kelvin Coleman, Executive Director, NCSA.
For more information visit staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/.