Cisco Shines Spotlight on Staying Safe Online During National Cyber Security Awareness Month
October 18, 2005
By Stacy Williams, News@Cisco
A survey conducted in October 2004 by Internet service provider America Online Inc. and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), found that 20% of home computers were infected by a virus or worm and that various forms of snooping programs such as spyware and adware are on an astounding 80% of systems. Even so, more than two-thirds of home users think they are safe from online threats, revealing a gap between users' perceptions and the prevalence of threats on the Internet.
This eye-opening survey, conducted annually each October, is part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a national collaborative effort by the NCSA, Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Trade Commission, state governments, major universities and the Internet industry to educate Internet users about safe online practices.
The NCSA is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership focused on increasing online security awareness among home users, small business and the education community. Cisco helped spearhead formation of the group when the Nimda worm appeared one week after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
"People in business and government were concerned that there might be a cyber element to terrorist attacks," explains Ken Watson, president and chairman of the NCSA and senior manager, Cisco Critical Infrastructure Assurance Group. "While Nimda turned out to be just another hacker messing with the networks, it spurred the formation of NCSA, an organization dedicated to helping people protect their information."
Cisco Systems was one of seven original founding companies of the NCSA, and continues to take a leadership role. The NCSA has since become a rich resource for cyber security awareness and education, providing tools and resources to help home users, small businesses, and schools, colleges, and universities stay safe online.
During October 2005, the second annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month, NCSA is focusing its educational efforts on helping people protect themselves from identity theft, an epidemic in the United States. Every year, as many as ten million Americans are victimized by this crime, at a cost of more than $50 billion. In addition, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) reports that hijacking consumers' bank accounts is the fastest growing form of identity theft, and 70% of fraud victims in 2004 reported they used online banking and paid their bills on the Internet. The goal during National Cyber Security Awareness Month is to shine a spotlight on this issue, and provide consumers, small businesses and the education community with tools and practical advice to protect against this growing problem.
Among other activities occurring this October, the NCSA has produced a national public service announcement entitled "Stop Think Click" that urges consumers to protect their valuable personal data through a variety of online best practices. In addition, the NCSA is conducting regional small business cyber security workshops, sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Small Business Administration, National Institute of Science and Technology and Multi-State Information Sharing Analysis Center. Other initiatives include a cyber safety multi-media event featuring New York Governor George Pataki, numerous cyber security awareness events on college campuses across the country, and governors and congress declaring October National Cyber Security Awareness Month.
In addition to its active role in NCSA, Cisco formed a cutting-edge internal group in 1998 dedicated to cyber security: the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Group (CIAG). Cisco created CIAG because of the global dependence on critical infrastructures for the delivery of services vital to defense, prosperity, safety, and well being. Governments recognize their vital need to secure and protect each nation's critical infrastructures, but because the private sector owns and operates 85 percent of them, governments cannot defend them alone.
"As infrastructure providers migrate their core business operations onto information networks and the Internet, the nation's infrastructures are being wired together into an ever-expanding digital nervous system," says Watson. "The benefits of this have been enormous in terms of competitiveness, efficiency, and quality of service, but these benefits do not come without risks. Increasing technology has expanded the number of ways system failures can occur."
Rather than impose new regulations, the federal government acknowledged the need for collaboration with the private sector in the areas of research and development, workforce development, incident response coordination, awareness and education, and policy development. Cisco has answered the call by partnering with government and private organizations to protect vital infrastructures essential for security and well being.
"Cisco continues this effort because it's the right thing to do as a good corporate citizen. Our efforts aren't tied to products or short-term revenues," says Watson.
According to Watson, most organizations and individuals have the tools they need to stay safe from identity theft, fraud, and cyber attacks. All they need to do is put the tools to use in the right ways. This October, Watson urges people to take the cyber security self-test at www.staysafeonline.org and also peruse the NCSA's "Eight Cyber Security Practices" to see what they can do to protect their important personal and financial information.
Stacy Williams is a freelance journalist located in Phippsburg, CO.
