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Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Securing the Next 250

Tuesday, Oct 6, 2026

Graphic with a blue-to-red gradient background featuring faint star patterns. Large white text reads 'Securing the Next 250.' Stylized digital lines and binary-style symbols trail from the number 250. In the bottom right corner, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency seal appears above the text 'Cybersecurity Awareness Month, October 2026.' The bottom left corner displays the URL cisa.gov/cybersecurity-awareness-month

What’s protecting your phone, your accounts and the information you use every day?

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and this year’s theme — “Securing the Next 250” — is a reminder that building a safer digital future starts with the choices we make today.

At the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), technology plays an important role in nearly everything we do. From protecting environmental information to providing services to South Carolinians, secure systems help keep our agency running and our information protected.

And cybersecurity isn't just an IT issue. We all have a role to play.

5 Things You Can Do This Month
  1. Turn on multifactor authentication. Add an extra layer of protection to your accounts by using MFA whenever it's available.
  2. Strengthen your passwords. Use long, unique passwords and consider using a password manager to keep track of them securely.
  3. Think before you click. Unexpected emails, links and attachments can be phishing attempts. When something looks suspicious, stop and verify before clicking.
  4. Keep your devices updated. Software updates often include important security fixes. Don't ignore those update notifications!
  5. Check your account security. Take a few minutes to review your account recovery options, privacy settings and connected devices. Removing access you no longer need can help keep your accounts secure.
Cybersecurity at SCDES

Throughout October, the SCDES Training and Development team, in partnership with the Office of Technology, is highlighting cybersecurity awareness through a series of fun and informative activities designed to help our team strengthen their cybersecurity knowledge and help protect the information and systems we use every day.

Cybersecurity may involve complex technology, but protecting ourselves often starts with simple habits.

Pause. Think. Protect.

Small steps can make a big difference. By practicing good cybersecurity habits, we can all help protect information and create a safer digital environment for South Carolina.

This October, let's work together to Secure the Next 250.

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