Learn About Cybersecurity & Staying Safe Online
October may be known as the month for pumpkins and Halloween costumes, but did you know that it’s also National Cybersecurity Awareness Month? As our lives intersect with and depend more and more on the internet, this month is a good time to step back and educate ourselves about the various schemes out there–whether they be viruses, spyware, botnets, identify theft, spam or phishing programs–that not only stand to impede our online experiences, but to encroach on our privacy and disrupt our lives.
For a bit of background, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month started in October 2004 and continues to be an effort between the National Cyber Security Alliance and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to engage and inform the public on the tools and resources needed to evade cyber threats.
Cable is a proud supporter of this initiative. In partnership with the National Cyber Security Alliance, NCTA offers tips that range from how to keep a clean device, whether it be a computer, smartphone, tablet or gaming system, to how to protect personal information by creating strong passwords, preventing cybercrime, and advice on how to own your online presence.
As the nation’s leader in broadband, we’ve seen how the internet can transform communities large and small, and enhance areas of our society for the better–ranging from education, healthcare, business, entertainment and more. But cybercrime remains a big issue in our time, and it’s our responsibility to not only find ways to combat these concerns, but to help empower users across the country with the information they need to make smarter choices online and to protect their personal information.
That’s why internet service providers across the industry have been implementing best practices for identifying and addressing these cybersecurity risks for years now. In fact, companies like Comcast, Cox, Mediacom, and Suddenlink offer free anti-virus software, as well as other security products and services, that serve to safeguard users’ personal information and to alert users to potential online dangers.
With the internet playing such a central role in our lives, it is crucial for everyone to take steps towards ensuring their safety and security online so that we may continue to experience and appreciate all that the internet has to offer.
For more information on how to safely navigate the digital world, check out the rest of the cybersecurity section.