Dear Colleagues,

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time dedicated to reinforcing the importance of protecting our digital lives. Here at SOU, our data, research, and personal information are some of our most valuable assets, and safeguarding them is a shared responsibility.

This year’s theme is Stay Safe Online, and we are focusing on simple, powerful actions that can make a significant difference. Throughout the month, I will be highlighting the “Core 4,” which are four fundamental steps everyone can take to improve their online security at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

The Core 4 topics are:

• Use Strong Passwords and a Password Manager
• Turn On Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
• Recognize and Report Scams
• Update Your Software

Each week in October, you will receive an email from me that takes a closer look at one of these topics, providing practical tips and resources you can implement immediately.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has more information about Cybersecurity Awareness Month available at https://www.cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month

Thank you for your partnership in maintaining a secure digital environment for our entire community.