We live in an interconnected world that allows us to move at an unprecedented pace. Our phones, our cars, even our houses can be “smart.” But we know that with the advancements of the cyberworld, comes cybersecurity risk.
So how do we combat that risk? At S&T, we know the most powerful thing we can do to protect our privacy, critical infrastructure and communities in the digital age is to educate ourselves.
That’s why the Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance designated October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. In its 13th year, the program serves as a reminder that cyber threats can come in many forms. Identity theft, ransomware and phishing attacks can impact the public and private sectors just as easily as an individual member of the general public. They can put our water, power, gas and banking systems at risk or compromise a citizen’s privacy.
These threats are not an issue that can be handled by only the government or only individuals. It is a shared responsibility and a responsibility that everyone should be educated on. Whether it is your social media or bank accounts, home computer network or mobile device, it’s important that you know the best ways to protect yourself and your smart devices.
For the next four weeks, we’ll be helping you do that. With a series of featured tips and trivia and Snapshot stories on our technologies, we’ll help keep you smart online and educate you on what S&T is doing to keep you safe and secure in the cyberworld.
As next generation advancements are making their ways into the hands of consumers, S&T is looking at next generation solutions, too. For example, we have projects in mobile device security and vehicle cybersecurity (today’s cars have more than 100 million lines of software code!). 
We’ll be talking about these topics and more throughout the month of October. Join the cybersecurity conversation as we kick off National Cyber Security Awareness Month by following us on Facebook and Twitter—let us know how you stay #cyberaware!