WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in introducing a resolution designating October 2021 as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The resolution recognizes the grave threat cyber-attacks pose to our national security, and highlights simple steps individuals and businesses can take to protect their networks.

“America’s cyber networks are essential to our national security, our economy, and our increasingly-connected way of life. The value of these networks our society make them a prime target for America’s enemies and adversaries,” said Senator King. “However, unlike many of our national security concerns, this challenge cannot be faced by the government or military alone – because cybersecurity begins at the desktop. America’s important networks – and dangerous cybervulnerabilities – are spread across the public and private sectors. In recent years, we’ve seen cyberattacks on major federal agencies and local governments, businesses large and small, systemically important critical infrastructure, and more. We need to tackle this threat together; as October is named National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I urge every American to take commonsense steps to protect our information and networks from cyberthreats.”

The National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Resolution will designate October 2021 as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The resolution highlights the importance of cybersecurity to America’s national security and economic well-being, and notes simple steps individuals and businesses can take to improve their individual cybersecurity, including setting strong passwords and using multi-factor authentication. The resolution underscores the importance of public-private collaboration to ensure our nation has the tools and resources needed to respond to and recover from cyber-attacks. It also recognizes the importance of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) as they lead efforts to protect American networks.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, Senator King is recognized as one of Congress’s leading experts on cyberdefense and a strong advocate for a forward-thinking cyberstrategy that emphasizes layered cyberdeterrence. He celebrated the swearing-in of former CSC commissioner, Chris Inglis, as the inaugural National Cyber Director (NCD). The NCD was included in the 25 bipartisan cybersecurity recommendations from the Cyberspace Solarium Commission passed through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021.

Earlier this week, at the Aspen Cyber Summit, Senator King highlighted the evolving nature of conflict in the 21st century. Together with U.S. Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) and John Katko (R-N.Y.), the Senator emphasized America’s need for a clear and definitive cyber doctrine, and pointed to private-public cooperation as key to protecting against cyberthreats.

U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mike Rounds (R-SD), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined King to introduce the resolution.