The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Sarah Stoodley, Minister of Digital Government and Service NL:

Speaker, October is Cyber Security Awareness Month.

This internationally recognized campaign is focused on helping all Canadians learn about the importance of how they can stay safe online using simple steps to protect themselves, their devices and information.

The desire for information has never been greater, and it presents an increased risk of being susceptible to phishing schemes and other socially engineered cyberattacks. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, phishing was the most common type of cybercrime in 2020.

This year’s theme is ‘Secure YOUR Cyber Space, Secure YOUR Digital Life’, and throughout the month our government will continue to highlight the importance of recognizing phishing scams, how to stay safe on social media and what to consider when using online digital services.

Cyber threats to personal information and infrastructure can be limited by following just a few key practices:

• Continue to be diligent in your daily activities.
• Never disclose your usernames and/or passwords.
• Never click on links or attachments in emails from unknown sources.
• Regularly update security questions and passwords.
• Always lock your computer or mobile device when not in use.

Government continues its strong commitment for cyber security education and awareness across the public sector, as information protection and cyber security is everyone’s responsibility.

Thank you Speaker