Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a joint initiative between the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), entering its 18th year in 2021.
About Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is designed to engage and educate public- and private-sector organisations through events and initiatives with the goal of raising awareness about cybersecurity to increase the resilience of individuals and organisations to cyber-attacks.
This year’s initiative highlights the growing importance of cybersecurity and encourages individuals and organisations to take necessary measures to stay safe and secure in an increasingly connected world.
This year there are four key areas of focus:
- Understanding and implementing basic cyber hygiene, including the importance of strong passwords, using multi-factor authentication, performing software updates and backing up data;
- Recognising and reporting phishing attempts
- Empowering individuals to not only practice safe online behaviour, but consider joining the mission of securing our online world by looking at a career options within cybersecurity;
- Making cybersecurity a priority in business by making products, services and processes “secure by design” and considering cybersecurity more holistically in decision making.
For more information about Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021 and how to participate in a wide variety of activities, visit staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month. You can also follow and use the official hashtag #BeCyberSmart on social media throughout the month.
What to expect from e2e-assure
e2e-assure are delighted to be signed up as a 2021 Champion, joining the growing global effort to promote awareness of online safety and privacy. The Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champions Program is a collaborative effort across government, all types of organisation and individuals committed to the Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme of ‘Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.’
Throughout October, e2e will be supporting the main themes, adding our own twists and expertise to them through blogs, articles and guidance, focusing on some of the things individuals and businesses can do to improve their cybersecurity. Look out for our key areas of focus:
- Tips to improve your cybersecurity – both as individuals and a business, covering best practice, free tools and simple ways to harden your network that organisations of any size can do to improve their cybersecurity instantly
- Challenges organisations face in dealing with cybersecurity – we look at the top 5 challenges facing many organisations today, regardless of size or sector and ways in which you can start to get around them
- Careers in cybersecurity – there are a number of routes into cybersecurity and paths within it, we look at some of the things you can do to get started and to plan your future career path. We’ll also be sharing some great content from the IASME Consortium on ways in which organisations can better support neurodiverse people and how it’s worked for us.
- Summarising Cybersecurity Awareness Month – we’ll look at some of the best articles, webinars and snippets of information that we’ve seen over the month and invite you to share your favourites too.
We look forward to sharing our advice and experience with you and seeing what other people and organisations have to say on the subject.