Following an official proclamation issued by the Governor, October has been designated as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. With growing threats in the digital world, this month serves as an important reminder for all Illinois residents to take steps to safeguard their personal information online.

The Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) is offering resources to help individuals protect themselves from cyber threats. With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, staying informed about best practices for online safety is critical.

A few best practices to take to protect against cyberattacks include:

• Keeping software and operating systems up to date.
• Using strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
• Watching for suspicious activity. When in doubt, don’t click or provide personal information.
• Using encrypted (secure) internet communications.
• Creating backup files.
• Protecting home Wi-Fi network.

For additional cybersecurity tips and information, visit www.ready.gov/cybersecurity.