Cybersecurity Awareness Month and What It Means

You may have heard by now that October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) but you may not know just what it’s about. Well, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is all about, you guessed it, cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity is the protection of networks, devices, and data from unauthorized access or hackers as well as the practice of ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. In layman’s terms, it’s protecting our online information while still keeping it accessible.

We need cybersecurity for the same reason a bank needs real security. People will try to break in and steal your information. This could be anything from your personal information to your credit card number. And if your information isn’t properly secured, you could be the victim of identity theft. 

On the other side of things, governments and corporations also have sensitive information that others might try to steal. So having cybersecurity is not only necessary for personal use but also companies and governments.

In this age of information, it has become critical to keep our information hidden from unwanted eyes, hence the need for cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is split up into four different weeks focused on different aspects of cybersecurity. And even though we’re almost through the month, it’s never too late to start practicing proper cybersecurity.

• Week 1 : Be Cyber Smart

This week is all about practicing safe internet usage personally by creating new and complex passwords, enabling two-factor authentication on all available platforms, and updating software so that discovered bugs aren’t used to exploit your system.

• Week 2 : Fight the Phish

Week 2 is about learning how to avoid phishing scams, which make up almost 80% of reported security incidents. By being cautious of unsolicited emails, texts, or chat boxes from someone unknown you can reduce your chances of being caught by one of these scams. So think twice before clicking on any suspicious emails, texts, or links.

• Week 3 : Explore. Experience. Share

The third week of NCSAM is all about the exploration and promotion of cybersecurity careers. The dynamic field of cybersecurity is always growing and has something for everyone. So whether it be students, blue collar workers, or those seeking a career change, cybersecurity is a promising and opportune career choice.

• Week 4 : Cybersecurity First

The fourth and final week of NCSAM is about making cybersecurity a priority. For businesses, this means implementing this security into products and processes. Making cybersecurity training a part of the onboarding process is important and will make a difference in keeping the organization safe. For individuals, this means being more cautious online and doing research before making purchases or giving your information for any reason online. Whenever on the web, cybersecurity should be at the forefront of your mind, not an afterthought.

Although we’re already in the fourth week of NCSAM, it’s still not too late to learn all about the topics of the other three weeks. Cybersecurity is a very important aspect of keeping yourself protected online and shouldn’t be taken lightly. So be sure to get educated and protect yourself online.

If you have a new business or are simply looking for IT solutions, we here at ReThinkItConsulting offer a wide variety of services that you can find on our website. From software development to creating databases we offer many useful services to businesses and government agencies. Feel free to contact us here on the website or by calling (855) 596-9669 if you have any questions or would like a consultation!