Please Support National Cyber Security Awareness Month

[Rodney Petersen <rpetersen () EDUCAUSE EDU>]

The EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Computer and Network Security Task Force is
pleased to promote and participate in the first annual National Cyber
Security Awareness Month during October 2004. The U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, National Cyber Security Alliance
(www.staysafeonline.info), and a range of participants from the public
and private sector are working together to promote activities and events
during October intended to promote cybersecurity awareness.  

The following is a list of possible things you can do to support the
goals of National Cyber Security Awareness Month:

P       Endorse National Cyber Security Awareness Month
        The organizers of this initiative are maintaining a list of
companies, government officials and agencies, associations and academic
institutions who have officially endorsed the goals of National Cyber
Security Awareness Month. Official endorsements have already been
obtained from the American Council on Education, American Association of
Community Colleges, American Association of State Colleges and
Universities, National Association of Independent Colleges and
Universities, National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant
Colleges, EDUCAUSE, Internet2, and the National Association of College
and University Business Officers.  We would also like to obtain the
support or endorsement from as many individual colleges and universities
as possible.  If your institution or organization would like to be
listed on the National Cyber Security Awareness Month Endorsement List,
please complete the form that immediately follows this message or reply
by email to Security-Task-Force () educause edu indicating your support of
the following statement:

        "Enhancing cyber security awareness and education is a critical
part of protecting individuals, networks and infrastructures alike.
National Cyber Security Awareness Month plays an important role in
providing this awareness and education."  

P       Make it Official
        Help us officially make October National Cyber Security
Awareness Month by supporting a resolution or proclamation with this
designation.   At the bottom of this message is a sample resolution that
is being circulated among officials in state government.  Consider
reaching out to your representative to the Multi-State ISAC
(http://www.cscic.state.ny.us/msisac/index.html) to see how you can help
secure a proclamation in your state.  You may also want to modify the
resolution for adoption by your campus administration, faculty or staff
senate, or student government.

P       Spread the Word
        During October, please mention "National Cyber Security
Awareness Month" and the importance of cyber security during your
departmental staff meetings, as part of campus events, in campus or
departmental publications, or consider writing a letter to the editor of
your campus newspaper.

P       Hold an Awareness Event(s)
        Students, faculty, and staff are a key audience for National
Cyber Security Awareness Month.  We encourage you to consider how you
can actively raise awareness within your community and beyond.  Please
notify us (Security-Task-Force () educause edu) of any initiatives or
events being planned around this time frame that we can point to as an
indication of higher education's participation in the broader national
effort.

Please let me know if you have any questions or require any assistance
in the planning or development of security awareness initiatives at your
institution.

Sincerely,

Rodney Petersen
Security Task Force Coordinator, EDUCAUSE

***************************************

Endorsement Form for National Cyber Security Awareness Month

In order to be listed on the National Cyber Security Awareness Month
Endorsement List, organizations must complete this form, provide an
authorizing signature and return it to Martha Lockwood, Executive
Director, at 202-872-4318 (fax).

What does endorsement mean?
Endorsement is the method for officially indicating your support of
National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Endorsement does not require
any financial or in-kind support, though we invite all endorsers to
partner with us on events, spread the word and educate their own
stakeholders (employees, customers, suppliers, students, etc.).

By signing the declaration below, you assert that your organization
(company, non-profit, agency, etc.) supports the following statement:

Statement of Endorsement
Enhancing cyber security awareness and education is a critical part of
protecting individuals, networks and infrastructures alike. National
Cyber Security Awareness Month plays an important role in providing this
awareness and education.  

Note: The Board of Directors of the National Cyber Security Alliance
reserves the right to review organizations wishing to endorse.



ENDORSEMENT APPROVAL

As an authorized representative of ________________________
(organization), I, _______________________ (name), hereby state that our
organization agrees with the official Statement of Endorsement and
officially endorses National Cyber Security Awareness Month. I
acknowledge that this endorsement allows the National Cyber Security
Alliance and its partners to list our organization's name as an official
endorser of National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Name:           
Title:  
Organization (as it should be listed by us):    
Category: (check one)
___ Industry   ___ Govt Agency/Official   ___ Academic/Education   ___
Association/Non-Profit
Contact Phone:  
Contact Email:  
____ YES, we would like to be more involved. Please contact me.

Return to:  Martha Lockwood, NCSA, at:   202-872-4318 (fax).


************************************************************************
******************

STATE OF _______________________
Office of the Governor
State Capitol, NAME OF State
WHEREAS, many citizens of NAME OF STATE use the Internet to keep in
contact with family and friends, manage their finances, buy goods and
services and get the latest news; and
WHEREAS, the primary and secondary schools of NAME of STATE use the
Internet to enhance the education of our youth by providing them access
to online educational and research materials; and
WHEREAS, the use of information technology at institutions of higher
education is integral in teaching and learning, research and discovery,
and outreach and service; and
WHEREAS, public libraries provide access to networked computers, online
databases, and other resources to the public; and
WHEREAS, businesses of NAME OF STATE use information systems and
networks to manage their businesses and expand their customer reach, 
WHEREAS, critical sectors are increasingly reliant on information
systems to support financial services, energy, telecommunications,
transportation, health care, and emergency response systems; and
WHEREAS, Internet users and our information infrastructure face an
increasing threat of malicious attack by viruses and loss of privacy
from spyware and adware; and
WHEREAS, each year there are significant financial and personal privacy
losses due to identity theft and fraud; and
WHEREAS, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center
(MS-ISAC) was established in January 2003 to provide a collaborative
mechanism to help states enhance cyber security; 
WHEREAS, there are national organizations, such as the non-profit
National Cyber Security Alliance, policymakers, government agencies,
private sector companies, and non-profit entities helping consumers,
businesses, educational leaders and our youth to protect themselves
online; and
WHEREAS, each one of us plays an important role in securing our
cyberspace.  Awareness of computer security essentials will improve the
security of NAME OF STATE information infrastructure and economy; and 
WHEREAS, the US Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber
Security Alliance have declared October as National Cyber Security
Awareness Month;
Now, therefore, I, ________________________, Governor of the State of
_____________________, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2004 as:

Cyber Security Awareness Month

in the State of ___________________ and encourage all the citizens of
this State to learn about cyber security and put that knowledge into
practice in their homes, schools, workplaces, and businesses.

While the entire month of October is National Cyber Security Awareness
Month, each week in October will have a specific focus as follows:

        October 4-8:            Home Users
        October 11-15:  Small Businesses
                October 18-22:  State/Local Governments, Primary and
Secondary Schools and Higher Education
        October 25-29:  Children


Everyone is encouraged to visit the following sites as a useful starting
point to help increase cyber security knowledge:
*       NCSA: www.staysafeonline.info/ 
*       US-CERT: http://www.uscert.gov 
*       MS-ISAC: http://www.cscic.state.ny.us/msisac/index.html   




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