This year officially marks the 17th annual National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), taking place every October to boost awareness and best practice visibility nation-wide around cybersecurity. Every year, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) partner for the benefit of all U.S. citizens and organizations to encourage proactive and thoughtful approaches to cybersecurity.
Yet, this year is different. In a post-pandemic world, the responsibility of protecting against cyber criminals and awareness of malicious activities impacts home users more than ever. The theme of NCSAM 2020 is “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart,” a crucial sentiment in an increasingly connected world with more cyber risks than ever.
Each week, NCSAM 2020 will focus on a different theme:
- Week 1: If You Connect It, Protect It – Any connected device is at risk of a cyberattack, so a sweeping and consistent approach to cybersecurity is paramount, especially as the remote workforce continues to grow.
- Week 2: Securing Devices at Home and Work – For many users in a post-pandemic environment, home and work are one in the same. Building on the sentiment from Week 1, ensuring the same level of protection for devices regardless of their connected network is something everyone needs, particularly at this moment in time.
- Week 3: Securing Internet-Connected Devices in Healthcare – Albeit cliché at this point, the challenges the world of healthcare is facing right now are unprecedented. The last thing healthcare decision makers need is an increase in cyber risks with the massive influx of medical data today.
- Week 4: The Future of Connected Devices – Important cybersecurity lessons are sure to be learned as we look back on 2020. Applying them to our best practices moving forward across any and all industries is one of the most effective ways to strengthen our respective cybersecurity approaches.
Throughout the month of October, EDGE360 will be digging into these various topics in our editorial content, showcasing thought leaders in the SYNNEX Comstor, SYNNEX, and Cisco communities who are putting forth a concerted effort towards cybersecurity awareness.
The NCSAM 2020 landing page offers resources from both CISA and NCSA, social media posts and graphics for participants to share on their channels, and contact information about securing CISA speakers for your NCSAM event. You can engage in the NCSAM 2020 conversation on social media platforms via the hashtag #BeCyberSmart. Share how you and your organization are committing to raising awareness around cybersecurity challenges and best practices.
