This October marks the 18th anniversary of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which aims to raise awareness about cybersecurity and ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to be safe and secure online. Cybersecurity Awareness Month is organized through a partnership between the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Cybersecurity &Infrastructure Security Agency.
This year’s theme is a continuation of last year’s: “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.” It continues to encourage individuals and organizations to take proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity. Each week of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month focuses on a different area, providing information on a range of cybersecurity topics.
Week 1’s topic is “Do Your Part.” This first week will help promote the understanding that cybersecurity starts with you. It’s everyone’s responsibility to take cybersecurity seriously and to take steps to protect yourself and your electronic devices.
Week 2 is “Fight the Phish!” Attacks like ransomware, identity theft, financial fraud, even just losing access to online accounts, disrupt the way we live, work and socialize. Many of these attacks start with a phishing email, so it’s important to learn how to fight phishing. You will learn how to spot a phishing email and other tips to keep you safe.
The third week offers something a little different from previous years and is
a great addition that’s near and dear to my heart. The theme for this week is “Explore. Experience. Share.” It focuses on cybersecurity careers and the important role that cybersecurity professionals have. Now more than ever, we need dedicated professionals to keep us and our businesses safe. You will learn how you can explore cybersecurity careers and what you can do to start your career in this rewarding field.
The final week will cover “Cybersecurity First.” It aims to remind everyone that cybersecurity should be one of the first considerations when they create, buy or install any device
or connected service. This applies to both individuals and organizations and will cover how you can incorporate cybersecurity best practices into your decision-making process.
You can access this information by visiting the National Cyber Security Alliance website (staysafe
online.org), the Cybersecurity &Infrastructure Security Agency website (cisa.gov) or by following the hashtag #BeCyberSmart on your favorite social media platform.
Also, as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month,
Hawaiian Telcom will host
a free educational event
Oct. 7. The event will discuss cybersecurity trends
in Hawaii, the current cyberthreat landscape, compliance frameworks and more. For more information, please visit the events page on the business section of our website: bit.ly/3kyTPU2. Until next time, stay safe out there.
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Mike Kober is senior manager of security service operations at Hawaiian Telcom. Reach him at mike.kober@hawaiiantel.com.
