National Cyber Security Awareness Month

This came in a work email today:

The Eighth Annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month is being celebrated during October 2011, as a collective effort among the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Cyber Security Division, the National Cyber Security Alliance and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.

The month highlights the importance of empowering citizens, businesses, government, and schools to improve their cyber security preparedness. In this digital age, we are all connected, and the actions of one can impact many. Thus, it is essential that each of us understand our important role in securing cyberspace.

For the week of October 3, 2011, we will look at 3G vs. 4G (G is for generation).  Most wireless carriers’ commercials feature claims that their networks are now 4G, the successor to current 3G networks.  One thing these commercials fail to do is explain what 4G really is, and that’s likely because none of the major carriers — AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile — actually has 4G networks.  To read more, please click on the following link http://www.govtech.com/wireless/Does-4G-Deliver.html

All this got me thinking about the internet and computers in general.  I know that I keep a lot of my information on the computer and on computer backup files.  But all my important private information is also in print.  Do you have a copy of your bank statements only on line?  What about your insurance documents?  Don't you think a printed copy would serve you well?  I have fallen a bit behind on printing things up that I find while surfing the internet but still do pretty well at it.  If I find something that I like I save it to a document just in case the website goes away.  Think about it folks.  One pack of 500 sheets of paper is only a few dollars.  If you download everything you read today that you think is important you will go through, what, 20 sheets of paper?  I'm not even telling you to file all your papers yet.  Just print them and stack them.  Wait for a nice rainy day when you don't really have anything to do.  That's a perfect time to sit in front of the pile, read through your important downloads and file them away for another rainy day.