Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022

See Yourself in Cybersecurity

Once again we’re about to round the corner into October, and with that comes an explosion of Halloween Superstores setting up shop in any square foot of vacant retail space, selling costumes so we can all pretend to be someone we aren’t at parties or around the neighborhood. 

But also with October comes Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Last year, our CISO Gary Brickhouse wrote a blog on how cybersecurity deserves more than a month, and I wrote about how aware we all are as cybersecurity professionals that our chosen field is so far down the list of the general public’s priorities that it needs an awareness month. So it’s interesting that this year, CISA has chosen to theme their Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign as “See yourself in cyber”.

The theme makes it clear that CISA is doing the hard work of trying to raise general awareness so that people aren’t just putting on a cybersecurity costume once a year, but acting out the role year-round. And they’ve partnered with the National Cybersecurity Alliance, whose specific theme is “It’s easy to stay safe online”. Combined, these are clearly targeted at not just non-cybersecurity employees at companies, but at everyone who interacts with the internet, has a password for an account, or even just uses digital devices.

At GuidePoint, we know how hard it can be to foster a culture of security at an organization, and that’s why we’re taking part in promoting the message of Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

So, as a prelude to Cybersecurity Awareness Month, let’s kick things off with some thoughts on the history and importance of this month, as well as GuidePoint’s plans to support this critical awareness effort.

Cybersecurity Awareness—Since 2004

In 2004, the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declared October to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month, intended “to ensure every American has the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online.” Being the sweet summer children that we all were, living in a much simpler time, the message focused on helpful reminders like “update your antivirus software twice a year”. 

In the 18 years since that inaugural message, how we engage with and use technology has shifted and evolved in ways we likely never would have imagined in the early years of the millenium. The internet is now all-encompassing, reaching into the most minute parts of our work and daily lives. There’s no longer a simple way to be safe, you can’t just rely on general rules like “update your AV” or “don’t open emails from strangers”. Everyone needs to pitch in. In light of the vast role cybersecurity needs to play for all of us in 2022, the core message of this Cybersecurity Awareness Month is simply: “See yourself in cyber”. 

So far, 2022 has underscored the importance of NCA and DHS’s mission and message more than ever. Ransomware attacks are at all-time highs, with a ripple effect resulting in everything from record ransom payments to long lines at the gas station. Last year and this year, a series of devastating software supply chain attacks have temporarily shut down businesses around the globe. Phishing remains the number one most common threat, and other types of attacks like distributed denial of service (DDOS) and botnets continue to proliferate.

Cybersecurity Awareness—Actions Speak Louder than Words

As part of a special effort during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, GuidePoint Security will be sharing daily insights and information on the latest cybercrime and cybersecurity news, trends, and technologies to help improve and increase awareness. We’ll also be encouraging every business to do something daily to take action against cybercrime. You can follow our cybersecurity activities on our website and social media pages:

• GuidePoint Security Blog
• GuidePoint Security LinkedIn 
• GuidePoint Security Twitter 
• GuidePoint Security YouTube
• GuidePoint Security Facebook

To follow along with everything related to Cybersecurity Awareness Month, keep an eye out for the hashtags #staysafeonline #cybersecurity #BeCyberSmart #SeeYourselfInCyber.