Press Releases

The Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) announces support and promotion of the Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign throughout the month of October. 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is designed to help raise cybersecurity awareness, offering tools and resources to help you protect yourself and your family as threats to technology and confidential data become more commonplace. The theme for the Commonwealth this year is “We’re all in.”

“We want you to know that we’re all in on cyber here in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Administration of the Commonwealth Lyn McDermid. “Cybersecurity is a critical priority for our administration and we’re doing everything we can to ensure that Virginia’s 8.6 million residents have safe and secure access to Commonwealth systems and services, while taking steps to protect their private information from hackers and bad actors.”

“In Virginia, we are focused on building a strong cyber ecosystem that connects all levels of government with the goal of understanding cyber threats, sharing our collective, valuable expertise and supporting each other when needed,” said Deputy Secretary of Administration Joyce Reed. “We know that this multi-faceted, multi-level approach to cybersecurity is the best way to keep our Virginia customers connected and protected.”

“In 2021 alone, we reported nearly 34 million cyberattack attempts and over 600,000 malware threats on our executive branch systems in the Commonwealth, approximately one attack every second,” said Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth Robert Osmond. “While cybersecurity may seem like a complex subject, it’s really all about people and the simple steps that you can take to stay cyber safe.”

Some of these simple steps include:

• Enabling multi-factor authentication
• Using strong passwords
• Recognizing and reporting phishing
• Updating your software

“We strongly encourage cybersecurity education,” said Chief Information Security Officer of the Commonwealth Michael Watson. “We know that if we start that process early with our students in elementary school and continue on into high school and even college, our young people will know how to spot and avoid dangers on the internet and social media. It could also help spark their interest in a career in information technology and cybersecurity.”

For more information on Cybersecurity Awareness Month, including resources for schools and localities, visit the Virginia Information Technologies Agency’s website.