Committing to online safety

Join the initiative to celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October

In today’s digital world, cybersecurity isn’t just a concern for your IT provider. It’s everyone’s responsibility–including at your municipality.

Whether it’s protecting the city’s data, safeguarding customer information or keeping accounts secure, small actions make a big difference.

To help educate and empower employees and your community, consider celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October.

Join Heartland Energy in this global initiative, sharing all month long how to stay safe online.

About the campaign

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) to promote safer digital practices for individuals and organizations alike.

Now in its 22nd year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a call to action for everyone to take responsibility for their online safety. This year’s theme, “Stay Safe Online,” emphasizes the importance of empathy, accessibility, and shared responsibility in creating a safer digital world.

Heartland Energy has signed on to be a 2025 Champion.

“At Heartland, cybersecurity isn’t just a technical concern–it’s a fundamental part of everyday business,” said Chief Communications Officer Ann Hyland. “We aim to empower everyone with practical tools and knowledge to make online safety feel achievable and approachable.”

Spreading the word

Throughout October, Heartland will spotlight the Core 4 cybersecurity practices–four simple but powerful actions everyone can take to strengthen cybersecurity:

1. Use strong passwords and a password manager
2. Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA)
3. Update your software regularly
4. Recognize and report phishing and scams

We will share helpful resource actions across social media, in our newsroom and via internal channels. This includes tips, activities, videos and more.

“Good cyber habits don’t have to be complicated or intimidating. We’re here to support our customers in building awareness around simple actions to protect themselves and their municipality,” Hyland said.

Commit to online safety

Promote good cyber habits in your community by signing up as a 2025 Champion.

All registered Champions receive a toolkit packed with messaging and materials to help you build your own cybersecurity education campaign.

You will gain access to the following FREE resources:

• Tip sheets
• Social media posts and graphics
• Sample copy for a newsletter, press release or official proclamation
• Champion badge
• Cybersecurity Awareness Month logos
• Content calendar, and more

Learn how to get involved in the campaign or sign up as a Champion at staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month.

Remember, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and your engagement helps protect not only your community, but also your municipality and personal data.

Together, we can build a stronger, more secure digital environment, one small step at a time.