Recognizing Cybersecurity Month throughout October is a matter of pride at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
DHS will spend the raising awareness about combating "the constant and ever-increasing threat from malicious cyber actors," DHS said in Oct. 3 news release.
"We work across our entire department to strengthen the nation's cybersecurity," Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in the news release. "From the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to the Coast Guard, from the Secret Service to the Transportation Security Administration, the Department of Homeland Security is strengthening our partnerships with the private sector and informing the American people how best to secure their cyber footprint in an increasingly interconnected world."
Cybersecurity efforts described in the news release include those undertaken by the U.S. Coast Guard in its "broad authority" to fight cyber threats and protect U.S. maritime interests domestically and abroad. The news release also mentioned the U.S. Secret Service's investigations into cybercrimes, including ransomware and network intrusions, access device fraud, illicit financing operations and money laundering, ATM and point-of-sale system attacks, social engineering scams, identify theft and business email compromises.
"We help protect federal civilian departments and agencies, drive best practices, advise critical infrastructure owners and operators and support schools, non-profit organizations, state and local authorities, election officials and many others," Mayorkas said in the release. "We are proud to be a part of the public-private collaborative that is essential for our success."
DHS' component agencies "play a lead role" in strengthening the country's resilience across public and private sectors, from investigating malicious cyber activity to and advancing cybersecurity "alongside our democratic values and principles," the news release said.
The release detailed some of DHS' cybersecurity initiatives, including Shields Up, Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative and creation of the Cyber Safety Review Board. Last month, DHS announced $1 billion in cybersecurity grants to U.S. states and territories combat cyber threats.
"DHS is driving cybersecurity in this country in new and innovative ways," DHS Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers said in the news release. "From building institutions like the Cyber Safety Review Board and the Cyber Incident Reporting Council, to setting baseline security standards for industry, to strengthening international partnerships, DHS brings government and businesses together to protect our digital infrastructure."
