The New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) today announced its participation in Cyber Security Awareness Month with the launch of the 2017-18 NYS Kids Safe Online Poster Contest.  The contest, held annually since 2005, and in partnership with the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center’s (MS-ISAC) national poster contest, helps reinforce safe online practices among young people who use the Internet.

The annual Kids Safe Online Poster Contest is part of the Office of Information Technology’s efforts to raise awareness about cybersecurity and inform New Yorkers of ways to stay safe online in support of Cyber Security Awareness Month.  Governor Andrew M. Cuomo proclaimed October 2017 as Cyber Security Awareness Month in the Empire State.  The proclamation aligns with National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NSCAM), which is an annual campaign to engage and educate the public about cyber security and provide tools and resources to stay safe online.  NSCAM is observed each October and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in cooperation with the MS-ISAC and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.

“We are pleased to participate in Cyber Security Awareness Month and kick-off our Annual Kids Safe Online Poster Contest which provides the opportunity for us to educate our youth on how to minimize risk and stay safe while online,” said Robert H. Samson, New York State Chief Information Officer. “To help us remain protected, all New Yorkers must be vigilant in implementing safe and secure cyber practices. This begins with our young people who embrace technology in their daily lives.”

“We all share the responsibility for safely using Internet-connected systems and protecting our personal information. Here in New York, we take a pro-active approach to cyber security awareness and inform New Yorkers of ways to stay safe online. Cyber Security Awareness Month provides an important opportunity to remind our citizens of the many ways they can keep their information more secure,” said Deborah Snyder, New York State Chief Information Security Officer. 

The annual statewide Kids Safe Online Poster Contest is a creative way to allow teachers to promote online safety to their students in a fun way.  All New York State students in grades kindergarten through 12 can submit one poster through their participating school that will encourage their peers to use the Internet safely and securely. ITS is accepting submissions from schools across the State through December 1, 2017 and the winners will be announced in early 2018. The winning posters will be featured on the ITS website and are eligible to participate in the Center for Internet Security’s MS-ISAC’s national poster contest. 

ITS is also providing several educational resources to the public, including an electronic Cyber Security Toolkit.  The toolkit includes cyber security-themed posters, a calendar, and other content that can be downloaded to help promote and reinforce cyber safety themes in practical, informative, and entertaining ways.  The toolkit material can be found on the ITS website at https://www.its.ny.gov/NCSAM17.   

For more information and tips for staying safe online, visit https://its.ny.gov/eiso.