National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) is an annual designation observed every October. Learn about the importance of paying attention to your cyber security efforts and how you can step up your game both at home and at work this month…
NCSAM is a collaborative effort between government and industry to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and to ensure that all Americans have the resources they need to be safer and more secure online.
The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) emphasizes personal accountability and stress the importance of taking proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity at home and in the workplace. This year’s overarching message – Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT. – will focus on key areas including citizen privacy, consumer devices, and e-commerce security. Their mission is to provide the nation with the tools and resources necessary to ensure the Nation’s workforce has the appropriate training and education in the cybersecurity field.
“Serious threats to personal data are at an all time high. Everyone, including individuals and businesses of all sizes, needs to remain diligent in their protecting themselves from hackers and privacy breaches. Scammers of all sorts bombard us through pop-ups, viruses, e-mails, phone calls and even the businesses we visit every day. Take steps to protect yourself.
- Create secure passwords and don’t share them. Avoid common words, phrases, and personal information when creating passwords.
- Keep your anti-virus, software and operating system up to date. These updates keep your computer as current as possible with the latest viruses and patches to protect your computer.
- Never give personal information over the phone or in e-mail. Scammers love to call and claim to be someone they are not. Verify their authenticity by contacting the company directly.
- Don’t click on links in e-mails. Links are an excellent way to get a virus. The same goes for pop-ups. Turn-on the pop-up blocker on your anti-virus. If you still receive a pop-up, do not click on it.
- Never visit unfamiliar websites and beware of look-a-like links. These links will have a similar spelling or will end in .net versus .com will be an infected link attacking your computer.
- Laptop owners should install software to ensure the laptop can be tracked if stolen or remotely accessed to erase files or transfer files securely.
- When using social networks, use the privacy settings to protect your personal information.
- As with e-mail, clicking unknown links within social networks places your devices at risk. This includes strange friend requests, messages, and even innocent looking videos.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Change your passwords, get virus protection, watch your emails, pay attention to the sites you visit, etc. Use #CyberSecurityAwarenessMonth to post on social media.
HISTORY
National Cyber Security Awareness Month was first observed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance in 2003.”
