October is always a busy month for cybersecurity professionals. For the past 21 years, October has been an especially busy month for me as it is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This means lots of employee education and awareness sessions, which I love to do! Commemorating National Cybersecurity Month with education and awareness sessions is fitting and impactful.

This year, President Biden proclaimed October 2024 as National Cybersecurity Month through a White House Proclamation. In the proclamation, President Biden states:

I also call upon businesses and institutions to take action to better protect the American people against cyber threats and create new opportunities for American workers to pursue good-paying cyber jobs. Americans can also take immediate action to better protect themselves by turning on multifactor authentication, updating software on computers and devices, using strong passwords, and remaining cautious of clicking on links that look suspicious.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in recognizing October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, states that this month marks “time dedicated for the public and private sectors to work together to raise awareness about the important of cybersecurity.” It has several useful tips to improve online safety, including: use strong passwords; turn on multifactor authentication; recognize & report phishing; and update software. The vignettes are short and easy to understand and underscore the importance of basic cyber hygiene. CISA and the National Cybersecurity Alliance has also published the 2024 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Guide, which provides facts about online behavior and tools to develop a cybersecurity awareness month program.

Individual organizations are getting into the spirit to secure our world as well. Webster Bank, in honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month recently published “Seven Tips to Stay Safe Online” to educate “our clients about common cyber threats they may encounter as consumers.” There are numerous resources available to help spread the word that we are all in this together—to protect ourselves, our families, and our employers from cyber-attacks. Although cybersecurity tips are prevalent in October and training and education is on steroids this month, cybersecurity is a year-long constant effort. We will continue to bring you tips every week to enhance awareness and continue our part in keeping you up to speed on the latest trends, threats, and insight. Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month and stay vigilant!