September 26, 2019 — Comic-BEE today announced its commitment to National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), held annually in October, by signing up as a Champion and joining a growing global effort to promote the awareness of online safety and privacy. NCSAM is a collaborative effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations, and individuals committed to this year’s NCSAM theme: “Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT.” This theme encourages everyone to #BeCyberSmart through cybersecurity best practices.

“Comic-BEE was originally funded by U.S. Department of Homeland Security with the goal of helping to improve cybersecurity education for everyone,” said Laurin Buchanan, Principal Investigator for Comic-BEE. “Many people don’t understand the need to take proactive steps to enhance their cybersecurity at home and in the workplace. Branching, interactive comics allow people to explore decisions, see divergent outcomes in a safe space, and understand how their daily decisions can impact their personal cybersecurity—or lack thereof. Comic-BEE is proud to be a Champion for NCSAM, so we’re providing free access to branching comics about cybersecurity to engage activity participants or the public during NCSAM.” Learn more about the comics for NCSAM at https://comic-bee.com/ncsam2019/; no downloads or additional software is needed to read Comic-BEE comics.

Now in its 16th year, NCSAM continues to build momentum and impact with the ultimate goal to provide all Americans with the information they need to stay safer and more secure online. Comic-BEE will continue to support this far-reaching online safety awareness and education initiative, which is co-led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“Cybersecurity is important to the success of all businesses and organizations. NCSA is proud to have such a strong and active community helping to encourage proactive behavior and prioritize cybersecurity in their organizations,” said Kelvin Coleman, executive director, NCSA.

For more information about NCSAM 2019 and how to participate in a wide variety of activities, visit staysafeonline.org/ncsam. You can also follow and use the official NCSAM hashtag #BeCyberSmart on social media throughout the month.


About Comic-BEE
Comic-BEE is web-based software that provides an integrated, guided process for educators and experts to create interactive comics with branching narratives, without having to draw or code. This simple software allows instructors and teachers to create custom materials designed to teach and assess student understanding of complex topics in any domain.

About National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
NCSAM is designed to engage and educate public- and private-sector partners through events and initiatives with the goal of raising awareness about cybersecurity to increase the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident. Since the Presidential proclamation establishing NCSAM in 2004, the initiative has been formally recognized by Congress, federal, state and local governments and leaders from industry and academia. This united effort is necessary to maintain a cyberspace that is safer and more resilient and remains a source of tremendous opportunity and growth for years to come. For more information, visit staysafeonline.org/ncsam or niccs.us-cert.gov/national-cybersecurity-awareness-month-2019.

About NCSA
NCSA is the nation’s leading nonprofit, public-private partnership promoting cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness. NCSA works with a broad array of stakeholders in government, industry and civil society. NCSA’s primary partners are the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and NCSA’s Board of Directors, which includes representatives from ADP; American Express; Bank of America; CDK Global, LLC; CertNexus; Cisco; Cofense; Comcast Corporation; Eli Lilly and Company; ESET North America; Facebook; Google; Infosec; Intel Corporation; Marriott International; Mastercard; Microsoft Corporation; Mimecast; NXP Semiconductors; Proofpoint; Raytheon; Symantec Corporation; Trend Micro, Inc.; Uber: U.S. Bank; Visa and Wells Fargo. NCSA’s core efforts include National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (October); Data Privacy Day (Jan. 28); STOP. THINK. CONNECT.™, the global online safety awareness and education campaign co-founded by NCSA and the Anti-Phishing Working Group with federal government leadership from the Department of Homeland Security; and CyberSecure My Business™, which offers webinars, web resources and workshops to help businesses be resistant to and resilient from cyberattacks. For more information on NCSA, please visit https://staysafeonline.org/about/.