many parts of the world, October is recognized as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. We usually take this opportunity to remind you of the importance of good information security and privacy practices to Sony's business success. While these practices are increasingly critical as our business becomes more information-dependent, this year I'd also like to focus your attention on how critical it is to be "cyber smart" in your daily lives.
In today's interconnected world, we rely on computers, smart phones and tablets more and more every day - at work, at home and on the go. We bank, shop, and communicate through technology, sharing information about ourselves and our families online. Technology certainly makes our lives easier, more efficient and more enjoyable, but with that convenience comes risk and responsibility.
Many businesses, like Sony, take the security of customer and employee personal information very seriously, but you as an individual should not rely on others to manage your cyber risk for you. I urge you to be smart about how and with whom you share your own personal information outside the office. Take what you've learned from Sony's Global Information Security Standards (http://intranet.sca.sony.com/GlobalInformationSecurityPolicyStandards) about good information security practices and apply these practices in your personal lives.
For example, think about how Sony requires different levels of protection for data based on the sensitivity of the information (http://intranet.sca.sony.com/sites/sca/files/documents/policies/giss_information_classification.pdf). Similarly, not all of your personal information has the same value. You're probably more comfortable sharing your latest vacation photos than your credit card number. Accordingly, focus on the information that is most sensitive to you and apply a higher level of protection to it, such as by leveraging passwords and other security features offered by IT service providers.
For some practical advice on how to better manage your personal information security, I encourage you to review the following Cyber Security and Privacy Tips (http://intranet.sca.sony.com/SafetySecurity/CyberSecurityandPrivacyTips).
Finally, I'd like to thank each of you for the vigilance and awareness with which you approach your jobs every day. Together, we will continue to inspire trust amongst our customers, who increasingly consider security and privacy as decisive factors when selecting products and services to enrich their daily lives.
As always, if you have a question about Sony information security policies or think you may have observed an incident, please contact your local Information Security Technical Manager or, if you're unsure of who that is, send a note to GISP@am.sony.com. We're here to help you!
John Scimone
Chief Information Security Officer
Sony Corporation