For the fifth consecutive year, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) is supporting October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. "NASCIO is pleased that so many state governments continue to designate October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month and conduct cyber security awareness-raising efforts throughout the month," said Gopal Khanna, Minnesota CIO and NASCIO president. "Development and protection of the IT infrastructure of the 21st century is a key objective of NASCIO's strategic agenda, and these activities are directly supportive of our efforts."

Organized by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), a consortium of government agencies and private industry sponsors, National Cyber Security Awareness Month is designed to increase the public's awareness of cyber security and crime issues, so that citizens can take precautions to avoid those threats on the Internet. Public relations activities, educational programs, events and initiatives that target home users, small businesses, education audiences (K-12 and higher education), and child safety online will be featured throughout October.