October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month
About
Since 2004, the President of the United States and Congress have declared October to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month, time dedicated for the public and private sectors to work together to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity.
Over the years it has grown into a collaborative effort between government and industry to enhance cybersecurity awareness, encourage actions by the public to reduce online risk, and generate discussion on cyber threats on a national and global scale. October 2024 marks the 21st Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Secure Our World
Starting in 2023 with the launch of CISA’s cybersecurity awareness program, Secure Our World is the enduring Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme. This theme recognizes the importance of taking daily action to reduce risks when online and using connected to devices. Organizations can use the Secure Our World theme when planning for this and future Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaigns.
Below you will find free resources to support Cybersecurity Awareness Month activities. In addition, we have outlined the simple actions we can all take not only during October, but every day throughout the year to stay safe online.
Staying Safe Online Is Easy With These Four Steps
Strong passwords are long, random, unique and include all four character types (uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols). Password managers are a powerful tool to help you create strong passwords for each of your accounts.
You need more than a password to protect your online accounts and enabling MFA makes you significantly less likely to get hacked. Enable MFA on all your online accounts that offer it, especially email, social media and financial accounts.
Be cautious of unsolicited messages asking for personal information. Avoid sharing sensitive information or credentials with unknown sources. Report phishing attempts and delete the message.
Ensuring your software is up to date is the best way to make sure you have the latest security patches and updates on your devices. Regularly check for updates if automatic updates are not available.
