Topics Related to Cybersecurity Awareness

Stay aware and alert when it comes to email, text messages, and collaboration tools like Teams.

Recently, scammers have attempted to impersonate trusted individuals, including state agency leadership, through unexpected text messages and digital communications.

Some North Carolina state employees have received text messages from agency leaders that are out of the ordinary. In other states, there have been reports of hackers posing as IT or help desk staff, asking users to run remote assistance tools to gain access to their devices.

North Carolina needs cybersecurity talent, and NCDIT is helping build it, one intern at a time.  

Through a partnership with the Carolina Cyber Network, a consortium of 23 North Carolina universities and community colleges, NCDIT is addressing the well-documented shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals by preparing a new generation of students for the workforce – and, for some, leading directly into full-time careers with the state.

North Carolina's new state budget makes a commitment to cybersecurity in two connected ways: significant new funding and a permanent legal framework to guide how that funding and future security investments get put to work. 

Scammers are using legitimate hotel booking details to craft targeted phishing attacks and have targeted customers of at least 350 hotels and vacation rentals in 50 countries, WIRED magazine reports.  

As we wrap up National Internet Safety Month, this week’s focus is on recognizing and reporting online scams. These threats continue to grow. The Federal Trade Commission’s 2025 report found that $15.9 billion was lost to online scams. With an increase in fake accounts and ads posing as major brands, scammers have more ways than ever to target personal information.

Over the next year, North Carolina will host, support, or be connected to several major sporting, entertainment, civic, and international events. These events bring tremendous opportunity and visibility to our state, but they also increase cybersecurity risk because of the volume of people, transactions, vendors, digital systems, and public attention.