Bringing Cyber Security to the forefront.
With ransomware attacks taking place every 14 seconds and cyber attacks projected to cause $6 trillion in damages by 2021, cyber security is now more important than ever.
Recognised by many countries around the world, October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, an initiative to promote cyber security to organisations, businesses, the education sector, families and individuals alike.
Europe recognises ‘European Cyber Security Month’ (ECSM) with its dedicated website: https://cybersecuritymonth.eu/ offering help to organise over 370 events across 34 countries, and provide education and numerous resources to help individuals and businesses to improve their cyber security.
The over-arching theme remains the same as last year: “Cyber security is a shared responsibility”, as this is such an essential message to highlight.
Cyber Security is everyone's responsibility
It emphasises the fact that cybersecurity requires involvement from everyone; governments, businesses, and individuals alike. Governments need to offer support, information and implement protective legislation; businesses need to build-in and regularly review their privacy and security measures; while individuals need to take responsibility to secure their own data and to improve their awareness and understanding as much as possible. This year’s campaign also highlights #ThinkB4Uclick on social media.
America has acknowledged National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) every October since 2003 with The National Cyber Security Alliance, in partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), encouraging all users to take responsibility in protecting connected devices and to; “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.”
The three major websites offering advice, information and resources for the US are:
– Homeland security: www.dhs.gov/topic/cybersecurity
– National Cyber Security Alliance: staysafeonline.org
– National Initiative for cyber security careers and studies: niccs.us-cert.gov/
Canada also recognises Cyber Security Awareness Month offering information on their government site: www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/maple-leaf/defence/2020/10/cyber-security-awareness-month.html
In the UK, the NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) provides a wealth of useful advice separated into sections for individuals (increasing cyber security for their home / family), small businesses (SMEs / SMBs) and corporate organisations. Find out more at: www.ncsc.co.uk
The information from all these websites can help you highlight Cyber Security Awareness Month to your employees, colleagues and family, demonstrating the importance of cyber security and the part all individuals need to play within your business and home. Resources include: Posters (lock your computer, improving password strength etc), illustrations/comic strips showing the good and bad of cyber security, videos for education users about cyber security etc.
Keeping up to date with cyber security
It’s important to realise however that cyber security awareness and activity is not just a once a year event. Awareness of the ongoing security measures that can put in place to protect people, homes and businesses is constantly needed and continuously changing.
With our increasing dependence on online apps and platforms, awareness needs to be instinctive; knowing what is happening in the cyber security world, what are the latest risks, what are the latest prevention technologies and the best methods of dealing with an incident.
It’s also crucial to remember that cyber security is not just for the office, it also affects users at home, in both a personal and a professional capacity – even more so with more of us now working from home!
Logically Secure provides a number of cyber security services for businesses including penetration testing, web application testing, Red Team testing along with consultative services and the incident response management platform; CyberCPR.
For further information click on the button below or contact rich@logicallysecure.com to arrange a scoping call of your needs and concerns.