October is a month with a special message: cyber security is a shared responsibility. Also referred to as information technology security, cyber security focuses on protecting computers, networks, programs and data from unintended or unauthorized access, change, or destruction.

Today a great deal of confidential information is collected, processed, and stored on computers, and is then often transmitted across networks to other computers. With the growing volume and sophistication of cyber attacks, ongoing attention is required to protect sensitive business and personal information.

What Does “Shared Responsibility” Mean? 
Chances are the Internet is essential to your daily life. You may go online to browse for information; use online tools such as electronic banking; visit social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter; purchase or sell products online; or publish information or store it in the cloud.

Regardless of how you use the Internet, you are a cyber citizen, as are millions of others. Did you know that 85% of Americans use the Internet, and that globally, 39% of the population does? This means that of the 7.1 billion people in the world, approximately 2.8 billion people are online.

How many of those people do you think are responsible and honest cyber citizens? Even if 99.9% of them are, it still means there are 280,000 people online with unscrupulous motives. Most likely, this number is higher.

Many of the cyber citizens who are new to the Internet or don’t know about phishing, malware, dangerous downloads, online scams, or predators, can become victims of online crime. We can make a big difference in their lives by raising their awareness about cyber security.