Five Years of STOP. THINK. CONNECT. – Best Practices for All Digital Citizens
Marking its fifth year on October 1, STOP. THINK. CONNECT. is simple, actionable advice that everyone can follow to stay safer and more secure online. STOP: make sure security measures are in place. THINK: about the consequences of your actions and behaviors online. CONNECT: and enjoy the Internet. NCSAM will launch with a focus on making this basic advice a guiding principle so that we can navigate the Internet ‒ and our digital lives ‒ safely and more securely.

Creating a Culture of Cybersecurity at Work
Intrusions into America’s business and infrastructure networks pose economic and national security threats.  All businesses face a number of cybersecurity challenges like being the target of cybercriminals, having intellectual property stolen or being attacked to disrupt our way of life. Cybersecurity must become a priority for every business and every industry. Companies need to proactively protect their most vital assets, employees and customers. Employees have a shared responsibility to do their part ‒ especially as the traditional workplace changes with a mobile workforce, telecommuting and the blurring of lines between work and personal devices (BYOD). If a cybersecurity incident does occur, businesses need to readily respond, recover and collaborate with law enforcement by sharing threat information and aiding investigations. Week 2 will focus on providing resources that help businesses establish a culture of cybersecurity. Emphasis will focus on employee education, taking a risk management approach to cybersecurity and using tools like the DHS C³ Voluntary Program as an important first step.

Connected Communities and Families: Staying Protected While We Are Always Connected
Cybersecurity means staying protected in our interconnected world. From banking and shopping to healthcare, social networking and downloading the latest apps ‒ we live robust, online lives. Wherever we are and however we access the digital world, every step we take to be safer will make ourselves, our families and our communities more secure. In our digital lives we may face any number of issues, from preventing or responding to cybercrime, cyberbullying and scams to teaching children to use the Internet safely, more securely and responsibly. We never use the Internet in isolation. Today, we are all digital citizens and need a strong knowledge base and skills to safely navigate our always-connected world. Week 3 will share simple ways we can protect ourselves and those around us along with what we can do if impacted by a breach, cybercrime or other issue.

Your Evolving Digital Life
In the 20th century, the Internet was about how an individual connects. In the 21st century, the Internet will evolve into how everything is connected to the Internet. Our cars are quickly morphing into “computers on wheels,” the fully connected home is nearly a reality and connected medical devices may offer tremendous benefits to our health and safety. However, securing all of these devices in the vast Internet ecosystem will be a new challenge. The more connected we become, the more interdependent we will be on one another and the country’s basic infrastructure ‒ which keeps the lights on and the water running and enables Internet access. Week 4 will highlight where we were, where we are today and how we can keep our digital lives safer and more secure with emerging technology.

Building the Next Generation of Cyber Professionals
One of the greatest risks to our cybersecurity is the shortage of professionals to protect the vast networks we are creating. The demand for cybersecurity experts is growing at three and a half times the pace of the overall IT job market. In addition to professionals whose jobs are to protect the Internet, the trend is for earlier adoption of technology by young people, including fully connected classrooms, access to mobile devices ‒ phones, tablets and laptops ‒ and more ways to socially connect with one another. It is essential that we graduate students entering the workforce and adulthood prepared to use technology safely, securely, ethically and productively. Week 5 will provide valuable information about cybersecurity careers as well as the need for the ongoing Internet safety and security education toward building cyber-literate digital citizens.