Naval District Washington's (NDW) cyber security team is planning to launch its first cyber security awareness campaign throughout the region in October.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month and NDW's cyber security team is putting together a campaign to educate users on simple ways they can increase their online security in the office and at home. The Team is preparing for guest speakers, videos, trivia and leadership surveys.

The foundation of the campaign originates from the Department of Homeland Security's cyber security awareness campaign Stop.Think.Connect ™ .

* Stop: Before you use the Internet, take time to understand the risks and learn how to spot potential problems.

* Think: Take a moment to be certain the path ahead is clear. Watch for warning signs and consider how your actions online could impact your safety, your family's or your command.

* Connect: Enjoy the Internet with greater confidence, knowing you've taken the right steps to safeguard yourself and your computer.

"We are very excited to join the Stop.Think.Connect ™ campaign. DHS has done an excellent job developing a library of content for busy cyber security managers to bring to their organizations," said Gianna Price Cybersecurity Branch Manager at NDW.

"Our goal is to increase overall awareness of cyber security and the cyber security team. We want the command to know who we are and where we are because they're our first line of defense. We want to give them an opportunity to ask questions and even vent frustrations," said Price.

NDW's cyber security team wants users to understand their role in keeping their networks safe against potential threats.

"When it comes down to it, humans make mistakes," said Elmer Reyes, Cybersecurity Operations Lead at NDW. "I think a lot of folks aren't aware that we can lock down our network as much as we want, but at the end of the day much of our security depends on the user. We want to make sure people understand their responsibilities in protecting the networks and the information housed on those networks. We want them to Stop.Think.Connect ™."

For more news from Naval District Washington, visit www.navy.mil/.