FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, October 6, 2014

CONTACT: Jacey Edson at (605) 773-8140 or Jacey.Edson@state.sd.us

Cyber Security Awareness Month

PIERRE, S.D. —Today, our society is more connected than ever before through the Internet. Citizens, schools, libraries, businesses, governments and other organizations use the Internet for a variety of tasks every day to stay connected with family and friends, manage financial records, conduct research, apply for jobs and student loans, provide educational opportunities, perform business operations and more. While each of these creates efficiencies in our daily lives, the connectivity also brings increased risk of theft, fraud, and abuse.

“Maintaining the security of cyberspace is a shared responsibility in which each of us has a critical role,” stated David Zolnowsky, BIT Commissioner. “As the state’s leader in information and technology, we will continue to provide awareness and education on cyber security in an effort to improve the security of South Dakota’s technology infrastructure.” As October is National Cyber Security Awareness month, the state is participating in the Stop.Think.Connect (www.stopthinkconnect.org) national campaign to increase awareness of this very important issue.

Internet users and South Dakota’s information and technology infrastructure face an increased threat of malicious cyber-attacks, loss of privacy from spyware and significant financial and personal privacy losses due to identity theft and fraud. Each and every one of us needs to do our part to make sure that our online activities and data are kept safe and secure. How can users and government employees stay safe online? Here are helpful tips to practice:

ü  If you receive an email asking for your account credentials (account name and password), delete it immediately. By responding, you can easily put your identity in jeopardy and may become a victim of identity theft.

ü  Sharing passwords or phrases only hurts the user. Keep this information private and do not share it with co-workers or colleagues.

ü  Think about using a pass phrase instead of a password. Substitute similar symbols for characters. !luVf!sh = I love fish.

ü  Access to “free” wireless networks is easy and convenient to use. However, be careful and only use encrypted wireless networks as they offer higher levels of protection.

ü  Research shows that email attachments remain the primary means by which worms and viruses propagate. Avoid opening attachments from unknown sources.

To learn more about staying safe online or to learn more about what BIT is doing to protect the availability, confidentiality and integrity of South Dakota’s data and resources, please visit http://cybersecurity.sd.gov/.  

About BIT: BIT strives to provide a reliable, secure and agile infrastructure, deliver valuable services through advanced technology solutions and retain a highly skilled workforce to directly support clients and the services they provide to the State of South Dakota. BIT provides a variety of services, including: project management, technology integration, software and hardware, hosting, email capabilities, voicemail and phone services, document imaging, network storage, help desk support services, GIS, ongoing technology maintenance and much more. For more information, please visit bit.sd.gov or connect with us at blog.bit.sd.gov or @bit_sd.