Cybersecurity Awareness

​Cybersecurity is our shared responsibility and we all must work together to improve our Nation’s cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is not just the responsibility of governments, companies, groups, or individuals. Everyone shares the responsibility for cybersecurity – from the average smartphone user to a corporate CEO.

Cybersecurity is a cross-cutting, cross-sector problem, so we have got to tackle it together. The Nation’s increasing dependence on networks and digital systems has brought with it a rise in both the var​iety, quantity, and sophistication of cyber-threats. The Internet is critical for businesses, the government and individual users, so its security has become a bigger priority. We are all connected in cyberspace and each has a role to play in cybersecurity. Cyber-criminals are inventive, but by ensuring every citizen has the resources and information he or she needs to be a responsible cyber citizen, we will make the Internet more secure for all.​

Keep a clean machine. Keeping your internet-connected devices free from malware and infections makes the internet safer for you and more secure for everyone. Regularly scan your personal and office devices for viruses and spyware along with keeping your software up to date. Additional ways to protect your devices​

Avoid oversharing online. As a young professional, it may be very exciting to share what you do at work with others. Remember your organization’s security standards and be careful what you say, especially in public settings. You never know who may be overhearing your conversations. Also, put away your work identification or badge when out in public and when using public transportation. Additional tips to keep safe online 

Protect your password. Create a password with eight characters or more and a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols, and don’t make it easy to guess. Additionally, always opt to enable stronger authentication when available, especially for accounts with sensitive information including your email, medical files, or bank accounts. Tips and tricks to protect your password​ 

Stay protected while connected. Before you connect to any public wireless hotspot – like on an airplane or in an airport, hotel, or café – be sure to confirm the name of the network and login procedures with appropriate staff to ensure that the network is legitimate. If devices on your network are compromised for any reason, or if hackers break through an encrypted firewall, someone could be eavesdropping on you—even in your own home on encrypted Wi-Fi. More useful tips about secure Wi-Fi 

Play hard to get with strangers. Cyber criminals will often offer a financial reward, threaten you if you don’t engage, or claim that someone is in need of help. Don’t fall for it! Keep your personal information as private as possible. Cyber criminals can also use social engineering with these details to try to manipulate you into skipping normal security protocols. More information

Report any cybersecurity incident. Report computer or network vulnerabilities to the National Cybersecurity Communications and Integration Center (NCCIC) at 1-888-282-0870, or here. Forward phishing emails or websites to NCCIC at phishing-report@us-cert.gov.

Do your part in protecting critical infrastructure. Our nation’s critical infrastructure runs on the Internet. The systems that enable us to live our daily lives—the electrical systems, financial institutions, transportation systems, and more—are all dependent upon a digital ecosystem. As cybersecurity breaches continue to rise in frequency and scale, it is critical for all Americans to understand their role and take steps to protect our critical infrastructure. More information on how you can help 

Use the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) website for resources on all things related to the cybersecurity workforce, from K-12 curricula, to professional development tools, NICCS is a one-stop shop with something for everyone.  More information

The West Virginia Intelligence/Fusion Center provides information to help the citizens of our state defend themselves and their families from all types of threats. The following reports include ways to protect yourself and your family while online.

Social networking sites are websites that encourage people to post profiles of themselves—complete with pictures, interests, and even journals—so they can meet like-minded friends. Most also offer chat rooms. Most sites are free; some restrict membership by age. 

These sites can be appealing to child sexual predators, too: all that easy and immediate access to information on potential victims. Even worse, kids want to look cool, so they sometimes post suggestive photos of themselves on the sites.

How pervasive is the problem? Even with all the media attention on the dangers of social networking, we still receive hundreds of complaints per year about children who have been victims of criminal incidents on social networks. These incidents include but are not limited to:

According to an Internet safety pamphlet recently published by NCMEC, a survey of 12- to 17-year-olds revealed that 38 percent had posted self-created content such as photos, videos, artwork, or stories. Another survey of 10- to 17-year-olds revealed 46 percent admit to having given out their personal information to someone they did not know. The likelihood that kids will give out personal information over the Internet increases with age, with 56 percent of 16- to 17-year-olds most likely sharing personal information. 

Social networking websites often ask users to post a profile with their age, gender, hobbies, and interests. While these profiles help kids connect and share common interests, individuals who want to victimize kids can use those online profiles to search for potential victims. Kids sometimes compete to see who has the greatest number of contacts and will add new people to their lists even if they do not know them in real life.

Children often don’t realize that they cannot “take back” the online text and images they post. They may not know that individuals with access to this information can save and forward these postings to an unlimited number of users. Kids also may not realize the potential ramifications of their online activities. They can face consequences for posting harmful, explicit, dangerous, or demeaning information online, including being humiliated in front of their families and peers, suspended from school, charged criminally, and denied employment or entry into schools. 

Source: FBI