October 1 marks the start of the annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CAM), which is a collaborative effort to raise awareness of cybersecurity and safe online practices. Each October, governments, public sector agencies, and private sector partners organize events and media campaigns to capture as much public attention as possible.
For most of its history, CAM was known as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the messaging was based on annual and weekly themes for a U.S. audience. In 2023, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) launched Secure Our World, which is an ongoing global cybersecurity awareness program. This new program has become the enduring CAM theme.
CISA Secure Our World
‘Secure Our World’ seeks to empower all individuals and organizations to protect themselves from online threats. Basic cybersecurity awareness is the minimum requirement to protect our identities, assets, and data from theft and attack. CAM 2024 is promoting these four basic steps to remain safe online:
Use strong passwords: Most of us are living in a password-protected world. Protecting our credentials is one of the most critical steps in preventing cyberattacks like ransomware. Passwords should be long, unique, and a random string of mixed-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Use a password manager to ensure your passwords are stored safely.
Enable multifactor authentication (MFA): MFA adds a layer of security to credentials, making it less likely that a threat actor can compromise an account with stolen usernames and passwords. This extra layer of security could be a code sent via text or email or generated by an authenticator application or biometrics like fingerprints and facial recognition. Using MFA confirms our identities when logging into our accounts.
Update software regularly: Updating software and devices is one of the easiest ways to defend systems from security threats. Updates should be applied as soon as they become available. When possible and practical, use an automated system to ensure that updates are detected and installed when released.
Recognize and report phishing: Phishing scams are one of the most reliable and profitable attacks for threat actors. Phishing attacks usually come through email, but attackers will also use text messages, direct messages, social media posts, and phone calls. These attacks will attempt to steal credentials, install malware, or perform other malicious tasks. Always verify the sender and authenticity of a message or post before clicking links or downloading attachments. Stay vigilant and avoid these scams.
CAM has significantly contributed to raising awareness and encouraging daily action to reduce the risk of cyberattacks. Participants in CAM events have helped create a more cyber-aware society that is better equipped to handle potential threats. Specific outcomes are credited to increased MFA adoption, improved business security protocols, and heightened awareness around phishing and social engineering attacks.
Visit the Secure Our World website for more information on CAM.
This article was originally published at Barracuda Blog.
Photo: ParinPix / ShutterStock
