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National Cyber Security Awareness Month: Resources and Tips

By Gabriella Khorasanee, JD on October 09, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

October may be the official month for all things pink, but it also happens to be National Cyber Security Awareness Month. This year in particular is an important year because it marks the 10th Anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

Though you won't find products of any particular hue in stores to mark this occasion, we're offering up some resources and tips to help you make your company a digitally safer place to work.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month Schedule

Week 1 -- Launch

This week has passed but you can find all information online including General Cyber Tips and the Stop.Think.Connect. Toolkit.

Week 2 -- Being Mobile: Online Safety and Security

The second week highlights cyber security on your mobile devices with resources including Mobile Safety Tips and the FCC's Smartphone Security Checker (hopefully the shutdown will end soon so you can access this site).

Week 3 -- Cyber Workforce and the Next Generation of Cyber Leaders

The third week focuses on how you can train and educate your workforce; guides include the Tips for Undergraduates entering the workforce (great to share with your company's interns) and Information on Cyber Careers (perhaps a good resource for your IT department to brush up on skills).

Week 4 -- Cyber Crime

The fourth week covers federal and state efforts to ward off cyber crime with resources including the Cybersecurity 101 guide and Law Enforcement Resources (very handy if your company is a victim of cyber crime).

Week 5 -- Clinical Infrastructure and Cybersecurity

The fifth, and final week emphasizes the interplay between physical and cyber security as it relates to our national infrastructure, with a guide on critical infrastructure (very helpful for utility and energy companies).

Five Quick Tips to Deal With Cyber Security at Your Company

1. Get Involved: Check out the resources above to see what is relevant to your company.

2. Share and Train: Share the tips you learn and train employees on how to protect themselves.

3. Enlist the IT Department: If you haven't already, touch base with the IT department at your company to get on the same page with how to deal with cyber security.

4. Establish a Protocol: Working with the IT department, establish a protocol for preparing for, and dealing with, cyber security breaches.

5. Follow Protocol: Make sure all employees know the cyber security protocols, and in the heat of the moment, remember to follow the protocols you established.

With cyber security as an ever-growing problem, this is a great opportunity to educate yourself and establish procedures to protect your company.

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