Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has proclaimed October as Cyber Security Awareness month to help recognize the ever-increasing need for residents, businesses and governments be better prepared for attacks through the Internet.

Snyder said "the Internet touches virtually every aspect of our lives, making cyber security more important than ever. Let's use Cyber Security Awareness Month as an opportunity to become better informed of cyber threats and how to avoid them as families, job providers and government leaders."

According to a news release from the governor's office, data theft and security breaches cost businesses worldwide an estimated $1 trillion annually. The State of Michigan alone blocks more than 500,000 hacking attempts each day on its network and has taken proactive steps to address the constant attempts such as enhancing the Michigan Security Operations Center. Additionally, the Michigan Cyber Range was launched in 2012 and provides a training facility for professional to hone their skills in a safe environment. Collaboration between local and federal agencies and private sector partners has also led to advances in early detection and rapids responses to cyber incidents.

A comprehensive website, www.michigan.gov/cybersecurity, has information to help citizens, businesses and governments protect their sensitive data and in November, Snyder will also host the third North American International Cyber Summit in Detroit. which will bring professionals in from around the world providing the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and networks with others in the field. Registration for that can be found here.

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