Stein Proclaims Cybersecurity Awareness Month: North Carolinians Lost $431 Million to Internet Crime Last Year
RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein on Oct. 12 proclaimed October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in North Carolina, urging residents to prioritize online safety. According to an FBI report cited by the governor's office, North Carolinians lost more than $431 million to internet crimes in 2025, up from $324 million in 2024; more than $15 million of the 2025 losses were related to super intelligence.
Stein said bad actors keep finding new ways to target residents online and that the state is working to equip people with the knowledge, skills and resources to navigate the digital world safely, encouraging everyone to stay vigilant and learn to recognize suspicious activity. State Chief Information Officer Nate Denny said cybersecurity is a collective effort and that the state is expanding its defenses and taking proactive steps to protect state systems and residents' data.
The state has secured $85 million for cybersecurity investments, the governor's office said — including $18 million in new yearly funding and $42 million in one-time funding for critical upgrades, the biggest strategic cybersecurity investment in state history, plus an additional $25 million to support system upgrades. The Department of Information Technology works with state, local and federal partners to safeguard government IT systems, data and assets.
Officials remind residents to be skeptical of unsolicited messages asking for personal information or money, to enable multi-factor authentication and to keep software updated.
Source: Office of the Governor of North Carolina, Oct. 12, 2026
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 北卡罗来纳州议会大厦（罗利），CC BY 4.0，摄影：P. Hughes（Wikimedia Commons）
