WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina plays a vital role in identifying and protecting residents from and responding to cyberthreats that might have a significant impact on our individual security, collective security and privacy; and
WHEREAS, critical infrastructure sectors are increasingly reliant on information systems and technology to support financial services, energy, telecommunications, transportation, utilities, health care, and emergency response systems making awareness of cybersecurity essential to improve the security of North Carolina's information, infrastructure, and economy; and
WHEREAS, North Carolina’s Whole-of-State approach to cybersecurity provides for increased threat intelligence sharing, enhanced preparedness, and a unified approach to statewide cyber defense; and
WHEREAS, cyberattacks, which are ever-evolving and growing more sophisticated, continue to be an increasing concern for state, local, and academic institutions because of their potentially devastating impact to the state’s critical infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework is a free resource to help organizations improve their cybersecurity practices through a practical approach to addressing the ever-evolving cybersecurity threats and challenges; and
WHEREAS, Stop. Think. Connect. ™ is a national cybersecurity public awareness campaign implemented by a coalition of private companies, nonprofit and government organizations, and academic institutions working together to increase the understanding of cyberthreats and empower the American public to be safer and more secure online; and
WHEREAS, people can help protect themselves from phishing, viruses, malware, and loss of sensitive data by developing good cyber habits, such as monitoring their accounts, being mindful of what they share online, keeping operating systems and applications up to date, creating strong, unique passwords and changing them regularly, installing anti-virus programs and firewalls, and using mobile devices safely;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim October, 2021, as “NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.