CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Chief Technology Officer Gale Given announced today that the West Virginia Office of Technology (WVOT) will be offering a Cyber Security Event, free of charge, on Wednesday, October 21, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center. Doors open at 8:30 a.m.
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which provides the WVOT with an excellent opportunity to encourage public and private sector stakeholders to use best practices for a safe, secure and resilient cyber environment. This year marks the 12th anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in cooperation with the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
“WVOT continually strives to raise the awareness of cyber security throughout the public sector, as well as with our state citizens,” said Given. This year’s agenda will focus on dynamic presentations, delivered by world-class experts in the areas of cyber threats, effective practices to safeguard computer information, with an emphasis on individual responsibility, accountability, risk management and privacy issues.
The featured speakers include:
• AT&T, DuWayne Aikin, Sr. “The Value of a good Vulnerability Program.” Mr. Aikin is a member of the AT&T Growth Platforms organization.
• Microsoft, Mike Korgan. Mr. Korgan is the National Security Officer for Microsoft’s State and Local Government.
• State of West Virginia, Kirk Rector and Paul White. “Spies, Intruders, and Surprises...Oh My!” Mr. Rector is the Director of Client Services and Security for wvOASIS. Mr. White is currently working for the WV Enterprise Resource Planning Board.
Those interested must pre-register at the website below and are encouraged to invite others to attend. This event will also be available as a live webcast for those unable to attend in person; however, pre-registration is still required.
Take these simple actions to keep you, your identity, and your information safe online:
• Set strong passwords with eight or more characters and a combination of numbers, letters and symbols. Length is a key factor in strong passwords;
• Don’t use the same password on all your accounts;
• Don’t share passwords with anyone;
• Keep your operating system, browser and other critical software optimized by installing updates;
• Limit the amount of personal information you share online;
• Use privacy settings to avoid sharing information widely; and
• Be careful about what offers you receive. Remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
For more information or to register for the 2015 Cyber Security Conference, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2015-west-virginia-cyber-security-conference-tickets-17607020071.