WHEREAS, the State of Nevada recognizes that it has a vital role in identifying, protecting its residents from, and responding to cybersecurity threats that may have a significant impact to our individual and collective security and privacy; and

WHEREAS, Cybersecurity Awareness Month was launched by the National Cyber Security Alliance and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2004 as a broad effort to help all Americans stay safe and more secure online; and

WHEREAS, critical infrastructure sectors are reliant on information systems and technology to support financial services, energy, telecommunications, transportation, utilities, and emergency response systems; and

WHEREAS, the overarching theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month is, ‘Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart’ to encourage individuals and organizations to own their role in protecting their part of cyberspace, stressing personal accountability and the importance of taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity; and

WHEREAS, monitoring your accounts, being conscientious of what you share online, keeping computer software up to date, creating unique passwords and changing them regularly, installing anti-virus programs and firewalls, and using mobile devices safely are ways you can protect yourself from phishing, viruses, malware, and loss of sensitive data; and

WHEREAS, maintaining the security of cyberspace is a shared responsibility in which each of us has a critical role to play, and awareness of computer security essentials will improve the security of Nevada’s information, infrastructure, and economy; and

WHEREAS, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Cybersecurity Workforce 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, the federal government of the United States of America, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, and the National Cyber Security Alliance all recognize October as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and all Nevadans are encouraged to learn about cybersecurity and put that knowledge into practice in their homes, schools, workplaces, and businesses;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, STEVE SISOLAK, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, do hereby proclaim the month of October 2021, as

CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH IN NEVADA