Remarks
Consul General F. John Bray
Cybersecurity Awareness
October 26, 2017
Thank you for coming today.
As I believe many of you would agree cybersecurity is an important issue. October marks the 14th Annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). This national public awareness campaign is a collaborative effort between government and industry that encourages individuals to protect their computers and our nation’s critical cyber infrastructure.
All around the globe we have seen individuals, companies, and governments become the victims of cyberattacks.
For this reason, in 2009 President Obama called for an increase in education and dialogue about Cybersecurity in the Cyberspace Security Review.
As part of this policy review, the Department of Homeland Security created an ongoing Cybersecurity awareness campaign – Stop.Think.Connect.
Stop.Think.Connect. is a national public awareness campaign designed to raise awareness of cybersecurity and to be more vigilant about practicing safe online habits.
By joining the Stop.Think.Connect campaign you will have connections to partners and subject matter experts who are committed to increasing online safety; cybersecurity tips, messaging, articles, and presentations; monthly discussions highlighting current cyber issues and trends
People are spending more time online – at home and at work — than ever before.
Our growing dependence on technology, coupled with the increasing threat of cyber-attacks and risks to our privacy, demands greater security in our online world.
By adopting and joining the Stop.Think.Connect campaign people will better understand the risks that come with using the internet and the importance of practicing safe online behavior.
Every year, billions of dollars are lost through cybercrimes globally.
Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that the global community will lose more than $6 trillion annually by 2021.
With the number of internet users growing daily, law enforcement officials expect the number of victims to increase as well as the value of their losses.
Without good cybersecurity in place, experts estimate that nearly half of the entire G-20 economy will be lost to cybercriminals.
The “Internet of Things (IoT)” will continue to increase the amount of crimes we see.
“Internet of Things” is the technology used in Bluetooth and Wifi devices in homes (i.e. refrigerators, dishwashers, and microwaves).
These devices can be hacked and used in a malicious manner to cause serious harm.
Cyber Awareness is everyone’s responsibility.
International cooperation and information sharing are key to the successful mitigation of cyber-attacks.
For this reason I am pleased to see so many of you here today.
There are many ways for you, your family and your organization to promote cybersecurity awareness within your community.
You have an opportunity to join in cybersecurity awareness efforts across the country.
As some of you may know the African Union has joined other international organizations in designating October as Cybersecurity awareness month.
I invite you to visit www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect and urge you to become active members of the STOP.THINK.CONNECT campaign
Additionally, I know that the experts here today will provide you with useful information on how best to protect yourself.
Thank you