Individuals on the internet will only seem to rise. With this rising number, the National Cyber Security Alliance and Cybersecurity and amp; Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has made a collaborative effort to ensure the safety of businesses and corporations. The month of Cyber Security Awareness Month is an initiative toward encouraging organizations and  individuals to take proactive steps to strengthen cybersecurity and protect their part of cyberspace.

History of cybersecurity awareness month

Began in 2004, the world started to notice that Cybersecurity is an issue already. Observing the rising instances, the cybersecurity awareness month was established to help raise awareness regarding the issue that has eventually become a critical part of our lives.

Several networks get compromised, and security gets stolen as organizations don’t know how to secure their web-equipped devices correctly. Looking at this, the National Cyber Security Association (NCSA) has taken steps to raise awareness regarding this issue.

From then onward, NCSA went on to monitor the risks to America’s Cybersecurity. The risk-handling and monitoring were not limited to government offices; it included the individual home user too.

People available on the web need to understand how to make the experience safe and enjoyable. The association incorporates seminars, pamphlets, and programs to raise understanding and awareness during the Cybersecurity Month.

Why is cybersecurity a priority in every organization?

Be it a company of complex operations or simple activities, it cannot afford a cybersecurity breach. Cybersecurity applies to every business operation, such as the military, corporations, and entrepreneurs.

Let us talk through the example of the e-commerce industry. In this single industry, there are hundreds of thousands of sites in operation. All these sites can benefit from investing in Cybersecurity. Why e-commerce? Because transactions conducted on e-commerce sites require the exchange of confidential information and it can be compromised at any time.

In such cases, when a company’s data is compromised and hackers get a hold of confidential information such as customer’s credit card info, the company is held responsible for a data breach. A worse condition can be when a company loses the trust of loyal customers, which might lead to a loss of thousands of dollars of revenue in recurring and potential sales.

How to celebrate cybersecurity awareness month

The first and foremost thing to do is start the computer and run an antivirus program on a deep scan. And if you don’t know how to go about it, it is the time to hire an expert to do it for you, or go off to the internet and research on the topic. Though the topic and its nitty-gritties may seem confusing and a little difficult, if you take the time to learn about Cybersecurity, it will prove to be a fruitful and good time in the years to come.

Once in a month, take out some time to scan and do some check on your devices. You can run scans on them to ensure that they are secure and free from viruses. As a practice, you can keep changing your passwords regularly on your systems as it is one way to protect systems from viruses. Also, you can be assured that you are protected.

Significance of every week in terms of cybersecurity      

  • In week 1, every digital user should ensure his security while using the internet. At this time, you can invest time in sharing information that will prepare your organization for cyber threats.
  • In week 2, every digital user should understand that it can strike anyone at any time. Therefore, it is required to educate employees or workforce toward implementing best practices and making them understand the consequences of it.
  • In week 3, when it is well understood that cybercrime is a big concern, this is a time of creating awareness among people for different types of cyber threats.
  • In week 4, embrace the fact that owing to technological advancements, individuals are always connected. This is the time to look at the future of the connected world.
  • In week 5, it is time to conclude what all things are essential. It is about highlighting how we can keep our critical infrastructure secure.

Conclusion

The month of October is dedicated to operations performed in the direction of Cybersecurity awareness. It was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure that every American has the resources they need for safer and secure existence online. But, year after year, this month has grown exponentially as a way to reach consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, corporations, institutions, and young people worldwide. A month that teaches people about the importance of Cybersecurity and offers a complete package to educate, grow, and implement new methods on the corporate level.

To supplement your knowledge on the topic, download our latest whitepapers on security.