October 1, 2021 (St. Paul, MN) – On October 1, 2021, Governor Tim Walz proclaimed October 2021 as “Cybersecurity Awareness Month” in the State of Minnesota. The proclamation, coordinated with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, reminds Minnesotans about the importance of cybersecurity education and awareness for everyone, including large corporations, small businesses, financial institutions, schools, government agencies, the home user, and anyone who connects to the internet with any device. The need to identify, protect against, and respond to cyber threats grows as critical infrastructure, education services, and the workforce increasingly rely on the support of information systems and technology.

“We call on all individuals, businesses, and public organizations to spend time during Cybersecurity Awareness Month learning about how to identify and protect against cyber criminals. This year has proven time and again that no organization or individual is immune to cyber attacks. Preparing for and responding to these threats is one of the most pressing challenges we face as a state.”

Tarek Tomes, MNIT Commissioner, State of Minnesota Chief Information Officer

The State of Minnesota works with Minnesotans and private sector partners along with state, federal, and local governments to secure Minnesota’s IT systems. Throughout Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) will share cybersecurity tips on social media to generate public awareness about staying safe online. MNIT will also educate state employees about cybersecurity best practices and reporting procedures through an internal messaging campaign.

“Across Minnesota, we see a growing number of cyber attacks. There are simple steps that Minnesotans can take to protect themselves against the most common threats. First, learn how to spot phishing emails. Second, enable multi-factor authentication where you can. And finally, turn on auto-updates for your software and devices.”

Rohit Tandon, MNIT Assistant Commissioner, State of Minnesota Chief Information Security Officer

While October is the dedicated month for cybersecurity awareness, MNIT places a year-round priority on protecting state data. Find more information about how MNIT secures the state on the /mnit/about-mnit/security/index.jspagency’s public website.

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About Minnesota IT Services

Minnesota IT Services, led by the state’s Chief Information Officer, is the Information Technology agency for Minnesota’s executive branch, providing enterprise and local IT services to over 70 agencies, boards and commissions. MNIT employs more than 2,000 people across 90 physical locations. Together, we build, maintain, and secure the State’s IT infrastructure, applications, projects and services. MNIT sets IT strategy, direction, policies and standards for enterprise IT leadership and planning. We also serve Minnesotans by connecting all 87 counties, 300 cities, and 200 public higher education campuses across the state on the MNET network. Through public-private partnerships, our team proactively protects the state’s information systems and the private data of 5.7 million Minnesotans.