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
Throughout October, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) will focus on ways to “Secure Our World” by educating the public on how to stay safe online.
CISA offers free resources and have outlined simple actions we can all take not only during October, but every day throughout the year to stay safe online.
Four Easy Ways to Stay Safe Online
Let’s work together to build a safer digital world. Whether at home, work, or school, we can increase our online safety through four simple actions. Take time to discuss them with family, friends, employees and your community so we can all become safer online!
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Use strong passwords
that are long, random, and unique to each account, and use a password manager to generate them and to save them. | View CISA’s Password Tip Sheet.
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Turn on multifactor authentication
on all accounts that offer it. We need more than a password on our most important accounts, like email, social media, and financial accounts. | View CISA’s Turn on MFA Tip Sheet.
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Recognize and report phishing
as we like to say, think before you click. Be cautious of unsolicited emails or texts or calls asking you for personal information, and don't click on links or open attachments from unknown sources. | View CISA’s Recognize & Report Phishing Tip Sheet
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Update software.
In fact, enable automatic updates on software so the latest security patches keep devices we are connected to continuously up to date. | View CISA’s Update Software Tip Sheet.