The City of Aurora is participating in National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) to ensure that all Aurorans have the resources they need to be safer and more secure online. 

Held during the month of October, NCSAM is a collaborative effort between the government and industry to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. The topic was addressed at Mayor Richard Irvin's bi-weekly media briefing yesterday.

“Our goal is to emphasize personal accountability and stress the importance of taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity at home and in the workplace,” said Leela Karumuri Aurora’s IT Risk and Compliance Manager.

The City of Aurora’s IT Department is collaborating with KnowBe4, the world’s largest internet security awareness training platform, to offer Aurora residents a free home internet security course. The course is designed to assist all members of the family in making wise decisions when it comes to internet usage.

To access the course, visit www.aurora-il.org/2020/Free-Home-Internet-Security-Course. Enter the password homecourse when prompted.

The eight online lessons include Passwords, Online Banking Security, Keeping Your Identity Safe, Avoiding Malware, Keeping Personal Information Confidential, Protecting Children Online, Securing Your Home Network and Email & Attachments Safety. 

During the month, City will also provide workshops to staff in an effort to better equip each department with the tools needed to keep information safe and secure. 

The “What is Cybersecurity and Why It is Important” workshop will be presented by Prairie Technology Solutions Group, and Data Defenders will host the “Why Ransomware Attacks on Local Government Matter” workshop. 

“We’ve seen many examples in other cities of security breaches costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Chief Information Officer Michael Pegues. “The City of Aurora must be vigilant and proactive with cybersecurity for the safety and security of all of our residents and businesses.”