Lawmakers declare October as “Cybersecurity Awareness Month”

CANTON — October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month in St. Lawrence County.

Lawmakers made the proclamation during a Sept. 16 Operations Committee meeting.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month was first launched in October 2024 by the National Cyber ​​Security Alliance and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is celebrated nationally, officials said.

The theme for 2024 is “Our World is Safe”.

According to the National Cyber ​​​​Security Alliance 2023 report, 84% of people consider online security a priority.

Data breaches have also increased in recent years, according to a Mastercard report. 95% of them are the result of human error, while 46% of all cybersecurity breaches occur at companies with fewer than 1,000 employees.

“Cybersecurity Awareness Month continues to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity in our country, both personally and professionally, ensuring that all Americans have the resources they need to feel safer and more confident online,” county officials wrote.

In other action, lawmakers also approved a budget modification for information technology infrastructure hardware and software.

Officials say the older, replaced network switches were used to meet a number of unplanned needs that have now become permanent.

One of the issues the IT Department has encountered in recent months has been the lack of support for older switches, which has posed a threat to support and security for county departments.

Officials say additional wireless access points are needed to provide wireless coverage throughout county offices.

“The need for additional monitoring and notification of network and server hardware issues has increased, which will enable the IT Department to respond more proactively,” officials said.

The budget change for purchasing computer equipment and software is $40,000 and comes from a reserve account, officials said.