October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This is a time to focus on the critical importance of cybersecurity and provide individuals and organizations with simple, effective tools to stay safe online and protect personal information. Increased awareness and taking appropriate actions are fundamental to a more secure digital work environment.
The theme for this year, “Secure Our World,” emphasizes that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. As we become more digitally connected, the amount of personal and sensitive information online increases, bringing new risks. Protecting yourself, your family, and your organization from online threats is crucial—and easier than you might think.
Cybersecurity is already part of our daily routines, from creating strong passwords to using 6-digit verification codes, and even scanning our fingerprints or faces we likely have developed some strong cybersecurity habits. However, it is essential to ask ourselves whether we prioritize cyber awareness training to enhance our ability to identify and thwart social engineering and phishing? Implementing these simple steps greatly enhances your online security, ensuring that your data, finances, and personal lives remain safe from cyber threats.
“It is becoming increasingly apparent that the importance of cybersecurity for many (people) and businesses is either under-appreciated or is not being communicated effectively.”
-Dr Jason Nurse, Director of Science and Research at CybSafe
While technology continues to evolve, including advancements in AI, the foundational principles of cybersecurity remain highly effective. This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, do a self-audit and make sure that you’re doing your part to help protect yourself and your organization by following these easy steps:
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- Use strong passwords or a password manager
- Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA)
- Update your software
- Prioritize continuous cybersecurity awareness training
- Recognize and report phishing attempts
It is no question that cybercrime and ransomware are on the rise and pose some of the most critical risks for any organization. Nearly every business will face some sort of cyber-attack at least once every year. New research from CybSafe, has found that when workers participate in Cybersecurity Awareness Month they are significantly more likely to support their employer’s cybersecurity efforts. Going beyond annual training, organizations that continuously train their workforce have the most success fighting phishing and other cyber threats.
This is where having a comprehensive cyber resilience strategy is so critical to your organization. Are you confident that you are protected from cyber threats? Can you respond to attacks when they happen? Are you able to quickly recover from a cyber incident? If you are unsure, we encourage all to take an active role in improving your cyber resilience in every aspect of your professional and private life.
For more detailed guidance on securing your digital world explore the additional tips and resources below.
