National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2017 Champion

Northwest Bank Becomes National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2017 Champion

Northwest Bank announced that they have become a Champion of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) 2017. Northwest Bank will be joining a growing global effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations and individuals to promote online safety awareness.

Recognized every October, NCSAM was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure all digital citizens have the resources needed to stay safer and more secure online while also protecting their personal information. As an official Champion, Northwest Bank recognizes the commitment to cybersecurity, online safety and privacy.

Coordinated and led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), NCSAM has grown exponentially since its inception, reaching consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses, corporations, educational institutions and young people across the nation and internationally. NCSAM 2016 was an unprecedented success, generating more than 2,260 unique news stories –an increase of 30 percent from NCSAM 2015’s media coverage. Kicking off NCSAM’s 14th year, this October presents a new opportunity to expand cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness globally.

"The Champion program is a vital part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month’s ongoing success. More than 870 organizations joined last year, a nearly 24-percent increase from the year before,” said Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance. “We are thankful to our 2017 Champion organizations for their support and commitment to our shared responsibility of promoting cybersecurity and online safety awareness."

For more information about NCSAM, the Champion program and how to participate in a wide variety of activities, visit staysafeonline.org/ncsam. You can also follow and use the official NCSAM hashtag #CyberAware on Twitter throughout the month.

Northwest Bank is a $1.4 billion community bank that offers a full line of business, agricultural, mortgage, consumer deposit and lending services as well as wealth management services. Northwest Bank has offices located in Algona, Arnolds Park, Ankeny, Estherville, Fort Dodge, Humboldt, Le Mars, Milford, Sioux Center, Sioux City, Spencer, Spirit Lake, West Des Moines, Iowa and Omaha and La Vista, Nebraska.

About National Cyber Security Awareness Month
Now in its 14th year, NCSAM is designed to engage and educate public- and private-sector partners through events and initiatives with the goal of raising awareness about cybersecurity in order to increase the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident. Since President Obama’s proclamation establishing NCSAM in 2004, NCSAM has been formally recognized by Congress, federal, state and local governments and leaders from industry and academia. This united effort is necessary to maintain a cyberspace that is safer and more resilient and remains a source of tremendous opportunity and growth for years to come. For more information, visit staysafeonline.org/ncsam or dhs.gov/national-cyber-security-awareness-month.

About The National Cyber Security Alliance
The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) is the nation's leading nonprofit, public-private partnership promoting cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness. NCSA works with a broad array of stakeholders in government, industry and civil society. NCSA’s primary partners are the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and NCSA's Board of Directors, which includes representatives from ADP; Aetna; AT&T Services Inc.; Bank of America; Barclays; Blackberry Corporation; CDK Global, LLC; Cisco; Comcast; ESET North America; Google; Facebook; LifeLock, Inc.; Logical Operations; NXP Semiconductors; RSA, the Security Division of EMC; Symantec Corporation; Intel Corporation; MasterCard; Microsoft Corporation; PayPal; Raytheon; PKWARE; Salesforce; SANS Institute; TeleSign; and Visa. For more information on NCSA, please visit staysafeonline.org/about-us/overview. 

About STOP. THINK. CONNECT.
STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™ is the global online safety awareness campaign to help all digital citizens stay safer and more secure online. The message was created by an unprecedented coalition of private companies, nonprofits and government organizations with leadership provided by NCSA and the APWG. The campaign was launched in October of 2010 by the STOP. THINK. CONNECT. Messaging Convention in partnership with the U.S. government, including the White House. NCSA, in partnership with the APWG, continues to lead the campaign. DHS leads the federal engagement in the campaign. Learn how to get involved by following STOP. THINK. CONNECT. by visiting stopthinkconnect.org.