October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month also known as NCSAM. Since 2004, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recognized October as NCSAM to promote cybersecurity awareness and safety tips, ultimately changing behaviors to protect people against cyber threats. During NCSAM S&T will explore weekly themes to help you become #CyberAware.
Weekly Themes
Week 1 (October 1–5) Make Your Home a Haven for Online Safety
Every day, parents and caregivers teach kids basic safety practices. Easy-to-learn life lessons for online safety and privacy begin with parents leading the way. S&T will provide basic cybersecurity tips to protect your home against potential cybersecurity threats stemming from online shopping and sharing too much personal information on social media.
Week 2 (October 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. S&T’s Cybersecurity Competitions program funds efforts that engage high school and college students in cybersecurity competition challenges. One of our successfully transitioned efforts, the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC), challenges teams of college students to operate and manage a corporate network infrastructure. This effort’s objective is to educate and inspire the next generation of cybersecurity defenders.
Week 3 (October 15–19) It’s Everyone’s Job to Ensure Online Safety at Work
An organization’s online safety and security is a shared responsibility across the workforce. This week S&T will explore cybersecurity best practices for the workplace like recognizing phishing attempts, securing Internet of Things devices and identifying software vulnerabilities.
Week 4 (October 22–26) Safeguarding the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure
Our daily lives depend 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. Several of S&T’s cybersecurity research and development (R&D) programs focus on securing our critical infrastructure:
- Next Generation Cyber Infrastructure Apex (NGCI Apex) – hardening the cybersecurity defenses of the financial services sector
- Linking the Oil and Gas Industry to Improve Cybersecurity (LOGIIC) – facilitating cooperative R&D, testing and evaluation procedures to improve the oil and gas industry’s cybersecurity posture
- Critical Infrastructure Design and Adaptive Resilient Systems (CIDARS) – creating innovative approaches to plan and design integrated solutions to secure critical infrastructure systems
STOP. THINK. CONNECT. ™ Toolkit
Today’s world is more digital than ever, providing information at our finger tips and making communication and business transactions seamless. However, with this convenience comes cyber threats, risks and even crimes. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility in which all Americans have a role to play. The STOP. THINK. CONNECT. ™ Toolkit provides resources for all segments of the community.
Connect with DHS S&T
Go to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter now to follow DHS S&T on social media so you get all the information that will help you safeguard your connected technology during National Cyber Security Awareness Month.