What is Cybersecurity Awareness Month
RDI has been celebrating October Cybersecurity Awareness Month since its declaration in 2004. October is a month dedicated to bringing awareness to the importance of cybersecurity in the effort to better protect both the private and public sectors against cyber attacks.
CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency) launched "Secure Our World" in 2023. This is cybersecurity awareness program that businesses, organizations, and individuals can participate in to help increase cybersecurity knowledge and actions to reduce cyber risks.
4 Easy Security Tips To Follow From CISA
1. Recognize & Report Phishing
Phishing is the most common type of cyber attack, with 98% of phishing attacks sent via email. Never share personal information, sensitive data or credentials with unknown sources. Always report suspected phishing attempts and delete the message - do NOT reply.
2. Use Strong Passwords
People reuse passwords 66% of the time - this is dangerous because reusing passwords enable hackers to access multiple accounts. Use a different password for each account and make the password long and unique, using all 4 types of characters. Consider using a password manager to help create and manage strong passwords.
3. Turn on MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)
57% of cyber incidents are due to compromised credentials. Add another layer of security to your accounts with MFA. MFA requires at least 2 forms of identification to access accounts, usually a password and a code sent to your phone (something hackers likely won't have access to). MFA helps prevent successful use of compromised credentials.
4. Update Software
Unpatched vulnerabilities contribute to over 70% of data breaches. Don't push off software (or hardware) updates; complete them as soon as possible. These updates often have patches and fortified security to protect against the latest cyber attacks (in addition to enhanced performance).