DHS National Cyber Security Awareness Campaign Challenge

Are you up to The Challenge?  We at the National Terror Alert Response Center are.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has unveiled DHS’ National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign Challenge—a new initiative that calls on cybersecurity experts and individuals across the country to develop innovative new ways to enhance public awareness about the importance of safeguarding America’s computer systems and cyber networks from attacks by terrorists and criminals.

All Americans have an important role to play in securing our computer systems and cyber networks,” said Secretary Napolitano. “We are challenging our nation’s best and brightest to utilize their expertise and creativity to devise new ways to engage the public in the shared responsibility of safeguarding our cyber resources and information.”

The Challenge invites cybersecurity experts and members of the public alike to submit creative ideas for improving the public’s cybersecurity awareness and cyber literacy. Proposals must be submitted by April 30.

The Challenge

The National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign Challenge Competition is designed to solicit ideas from industry and individuals alike on how best we can clearly and comprehensively discuss cybersecurity with the American public.

Key areas that should be factored into the competition are the following:

• Teamwork
• Ability to quantify the distribution method
• Ability to quantify the receipt of message
• Solution may under no circumstance create spam
• Use of Web 2.0 Technology
• Feedback mechanism
• List building
• Privacy protection
• Repeatability
• Transparency
• Message

It should engage the Private Sector and Industry leaders to develop their own campaign strategy and metrics to track how to get a unified cyber security message out to the American public.

Proposals should be submitted in Word format by April 30, 2010 and should include the following:

1) Company name, Point of Contact and contact information
2) Outline of Campaign Strategy

• Strategic overview of plan and definition of success
• Organizations involved
• Target audience
• Timeline
• Metrics used to define success.

Distribution of Message – Communication methods to reach targeted audience

• Traditional media/PSAs
• New Media
• Literature/Pamphlets

Winners of the Challenge will be invited to an event in Washington D.C. in late May or early June. Winners will partner with the Department to lead in the planning of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign and to ready the campaign for its launch during Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October.

To learn more visit the DHS Website

Submitted proposals to be emailed to cyberchallenge@dhs.gov
Questions on the challenge can be sent to challengequestions@dhs.gov