With the proliferation of digital and online communications, the rise of social networking, and the creation of a digital footprint for each of us – the urgent need for secure data solutions has spread from the highest levels of government, through all of our public and private networks, into our very homes…and anywhere else we use data. The “cloud” of today is equivalent to the personal file cabinet of yesterday. So securing the data and information that ubiquitously flow across our networks – cybersecurity – has never been more important. Raising awareness about the challenges of cybersecurity, and potential solutions, is the objective of National Cyber Security Awareness Month this October. But education is just one part of the cybersecurity dilemma. At the federal policy level, we have supported legislation designed to address cybersecurity, including bills from U. S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), and U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers (R-MI) and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD). We have outlined with industry partners an array of measures that we believe would strengthen the nation’s standing on cybersecurity. And, we have endorsed strong public-private partnerships among government and industry as an effective way of improving the safety of our networks. As NCTA President & CEO Michael Powell has said, “Best practices and other voluntary measures will give parties throughout the Internet ecosystem the flexibility they need to identify and respond to constantly evolving cyber threats.” As an industry we’ve also worked hard to educate families about the importance of securing household networks and personal information, as well as online safety. Working together with cable’s education foundation, Cable in the Classroom, we partner with effective online advocates such as the Family Online Safety Institute, Common Sense Media, the Internet KeepSafe Coalition, and others, to drive education about the attributes of online safety and to seek additional insight through research. And still, more needs to be done. That’s why we support the efforts of the National Cyber Security Alliance to further raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity to our national security and personal safety. Some great tools to learn more about cybersecurity are available on the Alliance’s website, StaySafeOnline.org. Cybersecurity will remain a top priority of legislators, policy makers, and business leaders for the foreseeable future. And cable will be there to support educational and policy solutions that make sense, and that ensure greater safety and security for all Americans.