FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month 2021 Kicks Off
Governor Baker Spotlights Importance of Cybersecurity in New Video & Official Proclamation
Month Features First Statewide Municipal Cyber Summit, Workforce Development sessions, and Events to Enhance Cybersecurity Awareness
BOSTON, MASS. – October is Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month in the Commonwealth, as declared by an official proclamation signed by Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. To highlight the importance of the Month, Governor Baker has released a video to spotlight the critical importance of cybersecurity in every day life.
- Watch Governor Baker’s remarks on Cybersecurity Month here;
- Download the official proclamation here (PDF).
As part of the Month, the MassCyberCenter at Mass Tech Collaborative has launched a public awareness campaign called “Life’s Work on the Go,” which focuses on the transition from remote work to more hybrid and in-person scenarios, each of which brings new cybersecurity challenges. The campaign page features tips and resources that citizens can take to better secure their digital information.
Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month will feature numerous events designed to engage municipal leaders, students, citizens, and business to think about their cyber resiliency and potential careers in the sector:
- On October 7th, the MassCyberCenter hosts the first Massachusetts Municipal Cybersecurity Summit, an event aimed at improving the cybersecurity in the Commonwealth’s 351 municipalities. The Summit is targeted toward the public officials, first responders, utility providers, and IT personnel. Interested public officials can register via Eventbrite. Media interested in attending can email noyes (at) masstech.org.
- For the fifth consecutive year, the MassCyberCenter will convene the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum, a one-day virtual session that will bring together business, academic, and government leaders to discuss critical topics in workforce development, municipal resiliency, and industry-specific issues. The invite-only Forum will feature remarks from business leaders in the Commonwealth and top federal and state officials. Interested media can email noyes (at) masstech.org to register.
- The MassCyberCenter and the Advanced CyberSecurity Center (ACSC) host a virtual panel on October 20th to spotlight the critical role that mentors play in developing cybersecurity talent in Massachusetts and the Commonwealth’s Cybersecurity Mentorship Program. The panel discussion will feature private-sector members of the ACSC and is aimed at recruiting more professionals to be mentors. Interested attendees can register via Zoom.
- The MassCyberCenter will showcase its Cyber Jobs Board to students attending the UMass Amherst Job & Internship tech fair on October 6th. The Jobs Board features over 400 cybersecurity jobs from 200-plus companies across Massachusetts.
- The non-profit Leading Age hosts a webinar on "Cybersecurity: Helping Older Adults Stay Safer on the Internet" on October 5th, featuring MassCyberCenter director Stephanie Helm and other cyber experts; and
- Bay Path University hosts its 9th Annual Cybersecurity Summit on October 8th, a virtual event featuring a career-focused keynote by cyber expert Jessica Bair.
The Month will highlight the broad audiences—educational institutions, businesses, R&D centers, policy leaders, investors, and technology groups — that come together in the Massachusetts cybersecurity ecosystem. The cybersecurity ecosystem makes Massachusetts a national cybersecurity leader and enables the Commonwealth's citizens and economy to thrive in the face of growing threats.
Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month is held concurrently with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
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About the MassCyberCenter
The MassCyberCenter was launched in September 2017 with a vision to enhance opportunities for the Massachusetts cybersecurity ecosystem to compete as the national cybersecurity leader while strengthening the resiliency of the Commonwealth’s public and private communities. Learn more at www.masscybercenter.org.
Media Contact: noyes (at) masstech.org.