Atlanta VAHCS Celebrates Cybersecurity Awareness Month
In October, the Atlanta VA Health Care System joins the nation in celebrating the 21st annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM), a nationwide effort to educate and engage government and community stakeholders on cybersecurity issues.
Curtis Allen, Atlanta VAHCS Information Systems Security Officer, says CSAM is an awareness campaign coordinated by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance to help people protect themselves online as technology, and threats to that technology, become more widespread. “Although cyber-attacks have gotten more sophisticated over the years, for users, it is still a matter of being vigilant and taking simple precautions, such as using multifactor authentication whenever possible, looking out for and reporting suspicious email and texts, and being careful about what information you share online,” said Allen. He added there are simple things everyone can do every day, including:
- Set strong passwords with 8 characters or more and a combination of upper and lower-case letters.
- Beware of suspicious emails. Check the sender’s email address to ensure it is legitimate.
- Keep your operating system, browser, and other critical software optimized and secure by installing updates.
- Maintain an open dialogue with your family, friends, and community about Internet safety.
To learn more about Cybersecurity Awareness Month, visit Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency or the National Cybersecurity Alliance event page.