Cyber security is becoming more relevant to our daily lives as each day passes. With an ever-changing, always growing digital world upon us, never has it been more evident that security should be at the forefront of our minds instead of being simply an afterthought. Staying secure can be a challenging task to accomplish at the best of times. With impending work deadlines, family commitments, and personal obligations – and how can we forget about this pandemic – it’s no wonder security is often forgotten.
So, here’s a ready-made reason for you NOT to forget – October is Cyber Security Awareness Month!
A Little About Cyber Security Awareness Month
Originally developed in October 2004 by the National Cyber Security Alliance and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as an effort to help Americans be safe and more secure online, cyber security awareness month has quickly expanded across the globe and has been adopted and observed by many in the industry each year.
Cyber Security Awareness Month had a humble start: the overall idea was to make the general public aware of basic cyber security steps they could perform to be safer, such as updating their anti-virus twice a year. It has since evolved to be more diverse, with different themes for the month focusing on specific industries and areas. In 2011, weekly themes were introduced. This allow for a better focus on the year’s theme and how it applies to various industries and professions. Past themes have included cybercrime, small and medium businesses, and education, to name a few.
And the Theme for 2020 is…
This year, we not only have a theme for the month, but a theme for each week! The overall theme for the month is, “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.”, a nod to how important it is for each of us to own our roles in being proactive and remaining secure in both our business and personal lives. This is an important message that we at Kalnara are excited to share with each and every one of you! Starting on October 1st, and every day in October, we’ll be posting daily tips, tricks, and information each day on our Twitter and Instagram accounts. Weekly updates will also be on our LinkedIn and Blog pages, focusing on each week’s theme.
Cyber Security Awareness Month itself will formally kick-off on October 1st. Here at Kalnara, we’ll keep that going right through to October 4th! Follow us for the low down on cyber security and why it’s important.
Week 1: If You Connect It, Protect It
From October 5th through 11th, we’ll focus on the week’s theme of, “If You Connect It, Protect It”. This week will look at everything you use to connect digitally and how to stay safe whilst doing so. It sounds simple, and it most assuredly is! We’ll touch upon everything from connecting your laptop to using digital ‘smart’ home devices. Every device that connects to your phone, the internet, and Wi-Fi is vulnerable to a potential cyber-attack. We’ll explain how to minimize your risks!
Week 2: Securing Devices at Home and at Work
October 12th (Happy Thanksgiving!) through October 18th will see a concentration on “Securing Devices at Home and at Work”. I’m sure you’re thinking that it sounds very similar to the first week’s theme of “If You Connect It, Protect It”. You’re not wrong – there is definitely some overlap to these themes! We will give you some great tidbits this week to help you be safer in connecting your devices both personally and professionally.
Week 3: Securing Internet-Connected Devices in Healthcare
Week three runs from October 19th through the 23rd. This week’s theme is a little more specific and will consider, “Securing Internet-Connected Devices in Healthcare”. This theme is particularly important given that we are in the midst of a global pandemic where healthcare is a regular thought in our daily lives. While it may not be the industry that YOU work in, this week will give you some excellent insights on the healthcare system and what they are (and should be) doing to protect your personal healthcare information.
Week 4: The Future of Connected Devices
The final week running from October 24th through to the 31st (Happy Hallowe’en!) is a doozy: “The Future of Connected Devices”. We all know we’re living in a digital world. What changes could be up and coming and how can you keep yourself and your personal information secure? The possibilities and technology are really as endless as our imaginations allow.
Cyber Security Awareness Month will be chock full of great tidbits and information on the cyber security world. We’re excited to share our knowledge with you! Be sure to check out our Twitter and Instagram accounts daily (and our LinkedIn and Blog pages on Wednesdays!) for great information on how to stay cyber secure!
