Blue Ridge Community & Technical College (CTC) Announces Commitment to Growing Global Cybersecurity Success during Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023

Martinsburg, WV. Blue Ridge CTC has announced its commitment to cybersecurity education by participating in the 20^th Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Founded in 2004, Cybersecurity Awareness Month, held each October, is the world’s foremost initiative aimed at promoting cybersecurity awareness and best practices. Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaborative effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations, tribal communities, and individuals committed to educating others on online safety.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is designed to engage and educate public- and private-sector partners through events and initiatives with the goal of raising awareness about cybersecurity to increase the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident. Since the Presidential proclamation establishing Cybersecurity Awareness Month in 2004, the initiative has been formally recognized by Congress, federal, state, and local governments, and leaders from industry and academia.

From mobile to connected home devices, technology is deeply intertwined with our lives. And while the evolution of technology accelerates, cybercriminals are working just as hard to find ways to compromise technology and disrupt personal and business lives. For twenty Octobers and counting, Cybersecurity Awareness Month aims to highlight some of the emerging challenges that exist in the world of cybersecurity today and provide straightforward actionable guidance that anyone can follow to create a safe and secure digital world for themselves and their loved ones.

Starting this year, the new theme of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Secure Our World, with the main messaging revolving around four key cybersecurity best practices:

1. Understanding the benefits of using a password manager and dispelling existing myths around password manager security and ease of use.
2. Turning on multi-factor authentication on personal devices and business networks.
3. Recognizing and reporting phishing – still one of the primary threat actions used by cybercriminals today.
4. Installing updates on a regular basis and turning on automated updates.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month continues to build momentum and impact with the goal of providing everyone with the information they need to stay safer and more secure online. Blue Ridge CTC is proud to support this far-reaching online safety awareness and education initiative, which is co-managed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance.

For more information about Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023 and how to participate in a wide variety of activities, visit cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month and staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/. You can also follow and use the hashtag #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth and #SecureOurWorld on social media throughout the month.

This united effort is necessary to maintain a cyberspace that is safer and more resilient and remains a source of tremendous opportunity and growth for years to come. For more information, visit cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month and staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/

Blue Ridge Community and Technical College (BRCTC) promotes cyber awareness and cyber security throughout institutional policy and practice, along with outreach efforts within the community. Blue Ridge Community and Technical College offers more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as workforce development training.  Blue Ridge Community and Technical College is conveniently located on Route 45 West past the Commons Center, at 13650 Apple Harvest Drive. For more information about Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, please call 304-260-4380 or visit our website at www.BlueRidgeCTC.edu.