It’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month

You might have missed that October is National Cyber Security Awareness month.  From the cyber security Czar, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Greg Garcia speaking at a kick off event  about Government networks and systems:

“They are more secure, and they are going to get more secure,” he said Thursday at the launch event in Washington. “There is always more to do.”

That’s the great thing about being in a security role. There is always more to do.  Mind you, in the two years Mr. Garcia has been in his role the US has seen the penetration of the Pentagon by the Chinese Red Army, numerous leaks and spy incidents, and failing grades from OMB for not following through on mandated cyber security efforts.   

Combating complacency and ignorance is the goal of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a joint program of the DHS National Cyber Security Division and the National Cyber Security Alliance, an organization of public, private and academic sector experts. Together they sponsor online and other activities geared at raising awareness among consumers and home users, as well as businesses.

Mr. Garcia would make better use of his time and US taxpayer’s dollars if he focused the government’s activities on locking down defense and research networks.  More websites and blather from “experts” just hardens the consumer’s ears.  The phishers, identity thieves, and Nigerian 419 scam artists have done more to educate consumers and home users as well as businesses to the dangers of the online world.  
The Assistant Homeland Security Secretary has lots of work to do. I suggest he stop combatting complacency and get to work on enforcing security within the Federal Government.

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