Training Toolkit

US Homeland Security gives cyber-protection advice

Tom Espiner ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 01 Oct 2008 16:39 BST

The US Department of Homeland Security is spearheading a month-long push to make public- and private-sector organisations more aware of online security risks, including publishing guidelines online.

This October's National Cyber Security Awareness Month initiative aims to raise security awareness and encourage public- and private-sector organisations to institute best security practice. The Department of Homeland Security is collaborating with a number of organisations, including the US National Cyber Security Alliance, on the effort.

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On Wednesday, as part of the initiative, security institute Sans called for IT professionals to send in ideas about how to develop security policies, how to engage management support, and how to raise user awareness within organisations. The best advice will be posted on the Sans blog, wrote the institute's director, Marcus Sachs. Sans is posting its own tips and advice on how IT professionals can best secure networks and handle security incidents on its blog.

The Computer and Network Security Taskforce is publishing security tips geared towards educational establishments on its website, with creative materials to raise student awareness that can be downloaded and adapted for university use.

The annual security awareness initiative was launched in 2004 by the National Cyber Security Alliance, a group of security experts focused on improving security practices among businesses, educational establishments and consumers.