This weeks focus of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is the importance of Cyber Safety in your own home. It’s a good idea to instil Cyber Safety in your everyday life. As part of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month StaySafeOnline have published a handy infographic Cyber Safety Starts at Home
Below are some suggestions around things you can do to ensure you’re Cyber Safe at Home
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It’s important two protect your online service accounts, perhaps even more so than your own home. Your online accounts can be accessed and potentially ‘attacked’ by millions of people from all around the world, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Unlike your home, they don’t even need to leave the comfort of their ?basement? before ‘having a go’ at breaking into your account.
First things first; you should always use a strong password when setting up accounts online, and never reuse passwords on more than one website. I personally recommend (and use daily) LastPass which can be easily integrated into your daily workflow, using either it’s desktop/mobile app or its web browser plugins. (more…)
National Cybersecurity Awareness MonthEach and every one of us needs to do our part to make sure that our online lives are kept safe and secure. That’s what National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) – observed in October – is all about!
As part of NCSAM there’s lots for everyone to get involved with. Keep an eye out for content on Twitter under the hashtag #ChatSTC, and right here on our website around the following subjects.
Week 1: Oct. 1–5: Make Your Home a Haven for Online Safety
Every day, parents and caregivers teach kids basic safety practices ‒ like looking both ways before crossing the street and holding an adult’s hand in a crowded place. Easy-to-learn life lessons for online safety and privacy begin with parents leading the way. Learning good cybersecurity practices can also help set a strong foundation for a career in the industry. With family members using the internet to engage in social media, adjust the home thermostat or shop for the latest connected toy, it is vital to make certain that the entire household ‒ including children – learn to use the internet safely and responsibly and that networks and mobile devices are secure. Week 1 will underscore basic cybersecurity essentials the entire family can deploy to protect their homes against cyber threats.
Week 2: Oct. 8–12: Millions of Rewarding Jobs: Educating for a Career in Cybersecurity
A key risk to our economy and security continues to be the shortage of cybersecurity professionals to safeguard our ever-expanding cyber ecosystem. Raising the next generation of interested and capable cybersecurity professionals is a starting point to building stronger defenses. There are limitless opportunities to educate students of all ages – from high school into higher education and beyond – on the field of cybersecurity as they consider their options. In addition, veterans and individuals who are looking for a new career or re-entering the workforce, should explore the multitude of well-paying and rewarding jobs available. Week 2 will address ways to motivate parents, teachers and counselors to learn more about the field and how to best inspire students and others to seek highly fulfilling cybersecurity careers.
Week 3: Oct. 15–19: It’s Everyone’s Job to Ensure Online Safety at Work
When you are on the job – whether it’s at a corporate office, local restaurant, healthcare provider, academic institution or government agency ‒ your organization’s online safety and security are a responsibility we all share. And, as the lines between our work and daily lives become increasingly blurred, it is more important than ever to be certain that smart cybersecurity carries over between the two. Week 3 will focus on cybersecurity workforce education, training and awareness while emphasizing risk management, resistance and resilience. NCSA’s CyberSecure My Business™ will shed light on how small and medium-sized businesses can protect themselves, their employees and their customers against the most prevalent threats.
Week 4: Oct. 22–26: Safeguarding the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure
Our day-to-day life depends on the country’s 16 sectors of critical infrastructure, which supply food, water, financial services, public health, communications and power along with other networks and systems. A disruption to this system, which is operated via the internet, can have significant and even catastrophic consequences for our nation. Week 4 will emphasize the importance of securing our critical infrastructure and highlight the roles the public can play in keeping it safe. In addition, it will lead the transition into November’s Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month, which is spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This October marks the 15th NCSAM which is co-lead by NCSA & Cyber. As part of my role at my current employer, one of my main focuses is on the business and its staff’s Cybersecurity compliance and awareness. This is also something I am pationate about outside of work. Therefore, I have registered to become a NCSAM Champion.
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