Here’s how they begin:
“Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an international initiative that highlights actions everyone can take to stay safe online. Even amidst large-scale data breaches and cyber attacks, Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds everyone that there are simple, effective ways to stay safe online, protect personal data, and ultimately help Secure Our World. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the federal lead for the campaign, and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) create resources for organizations to talk to their employees and customers about staying safe online. Cybersecurity Awareness Month is supported by corporations, government agencies, schools, tribes, nonprofits and professionals dedicated to cybersecurity education and protecting our communities.
“The theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024 is “Secure Our World.” Launched in 2023, Secure Our World empowers everyone to understand the simple ways to protect yourself, your family and your business from online threats. We’re increasingly connected through digital tools and more of our sensitive information is online. This convenience comes with risks. Each of us has a part to play in keeping ourselves and others safe. It’s easy to do and takes less time than you think.”
The new guide’s table of contents offers practical help in these areas:
- Key Messages and Fast Facts
- A Social Media Guide
- Sample Email Announcement
- Sample Press Release
- Building Your Campaign
- In Your Organization
- At Home
- Educate Your Community
- How to Request a Speaker
StaySafeOnline’s CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH RESOURCES
The National Cybersecurity Alliance is a nonprofit organization on a mission to create a more secure, interconnected world. They advocate for the safe use of all technology and educate everyone on how best to protect ourselves, our families and our organizations from cyber crime. They also create strong partnerships between governments and corporations to amplify messages and to foster a greater “digital” good.
The campaign for 2024 focuses on the top four ways to stay safe online:
- Use strong passwords and a password manager
- Turn on multifactor authentication
- Recognize and report phishing
- Update software
CISA AND MS-ISAC RESOURCES
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency also offers an abundance of additional resources here.
The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) is the focal point for state and local governments to get the word out on Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
MS-ISAC Website: https://www.cisecurity.org/ms-isac
MS-ISAC Poster content: https://www.cisecurity.org/insights/white-papers/ncsam-posters
MS-ISAC Tookit : https://www.cisecurity.org/ms-isac/ms-isac-toolkit (previous years)
I have also written extensively about how the MS-ISAC can help in these blog posts:
- MS-ISAC: Cybersecurity Collaboration Is Needed Now More than Ever
- Highlights from the 16th Annual MS-ISAC Meeting
- Security Pros Need a Mentor: Here's Why and How
The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies also offers this website to help.
And last year, I wrote a piece on October Cybersecurity Awareness Month that offered many private-sector resources. Those tools can be found here.
Here’s a small excerpt from 2023:
Here are seven tips to help your children stay safe online from Twinkl.com:
- "Apart from letting a parent or guardian know, never share your password with anyone. We recommend creating a strong and long password so no one can guess or hack into your accounts.
- "Never download a file or software online without permission from a parent or guardian. Many attachments, files and software products may seem fine but can actually contain harmful malware viruses that are bad for your device. If in doubt, check with an adult.
- "Use an anti-virus program and keep your devices secure from any potential threats.
- "Have a parental lock on your devices or any websites that are not suitable for kids.
- "Be wary of the people you talk to on social media. Not everyone is who they say they are on the Internet. For this same reason, never meet up with someone you have met on the Internet without a chaperone or your parent’s or guardian’s permission.
- "Don’t believe everything you read online is 100 percent factual. “Fake news” is common on the Internet, with many people, outlets or websites spreading false information. Double check with adults or other sources, such as in a library, about what you are wanting to research or learn more about."
FINAL THOUGHTS
Keep in mind that this cyber awareness month no longer uses the word "national" in its name, because it is truly an international effort. This website from India is an example of that: www.dsci.in/content/cyber-security-awareness-month-2023.
Last week, my blog focused on the FBI’s efforts to spread awareness on how to stop online fraud and scams. The FBI approach is slightly different from CISA's, and yet we all need to work together to stop cyber crime.
Another example comes from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.
One final tip: I like this announcement from McAfee about launching the world’s first automatic and AI-powered deepfake detector. We need more help like that.
