Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles from University of Delaware Information Technologies promoting cyber awareness during National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

This October marks the 14th annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM), a collaborative effort between more than 600 organizations to ensure people in America have the resources to stay safer and more secure online. As part of the University of Delaware’s commitment to promoting the best information security practices within the community, UD Information Technologies (IT) is celebrating NCSAM by releasing new resources and prizes for cyber security awareness throughout the month.

“This month, we renew our commitment to promote our community’s awareness and security,” said Jason Cash, interim vice president for Information Technologies. “In our increasingly digital world, we all share a responsibility—to ourselves, our families, and each other — to recognize and defend against hackers and other criminals who would steal our personal information, take control of our devices, and exploit us for their own gains.”

Throughout NCSAM, UD IT will publish articles and newsletters exploring what hackers are after, the tools hackers use to target us, and how UD IT can help you protect your computer and yourself from these criminals. Follow UDaily and check in with the Secure UD Threat Alerts blog to learn about or report pressing cyber threats.

Prizes for awareness

Throughout NCSAM, employees can automatically earn chances to win one of several NCSAM prizes just by practicing good cyber hygiene. This year’s prizes include Amazon gift cards and security-related gear for the home and office.

Employees can earn one entry for each of these activities:

1. Completing Phase II of your 2017 Secure UD Training before the end of October.

2. Forward this month’s Secure UD “Take a BITE out of phish!” test email to reportaphish@udel.edu.

Prize winners will be drawn during the IT Tech Fair this November.

Secure UD Training

To help UD community members protect themselves, each other, their families, and our University from cyberthreats, UD IT is releasing a new phase of 2017 Secure UD Training for employees. Secure UD Training is a security awareness resource for University employees. It empowers employees by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves and our community from cyberthreats. Its modular, online, self-paced design makes it easy to complete during lunches or between emails, and the skills it cultivates are applicable throughout your life, whether at home, in the office, or abroad.

Employees enrolled in Secure UD Training will receive an email from noreply@securingthehuman.org when their new Phase II training becomes available. Anyone who would like extended access to Phase I training modules may complete a module request form.

Employees can earn a chance to win one of several NCSAM prizes by completing Phase II of 2017 Secure UD Training before the end of October.

IT Tech Fair

On Nov. 15, UD IT will host the IT Tech Fair in the Trabant Multipurpose Rooms from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There will be a booth dedicated to computer and information security, and employees are invited to stop by and discuss the information UD IT has shared with the campus during NCSAM. UD IT will be conducting periodic drawings for prizes throughout the event. Employees will automatically receive one entry in the drawing for completing Phase II of 2017 Secure UD Training before the end of October, and one entry for forwarding October’s Secure UD "Take a BITE out of phish!" test to reportaphish@udel.edu.