Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021

Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart

The line between our online and offline lives is more blurred than ever before. In today’s technological times, our homes, societal well-being, economic prosperity and nation’s security are impacted by the internet.

If everyone does their part – implementing stronger security practices, raising community awareness, educating vulnerable audiences or training employees – our interconnected world will be safer and more resilient for everyone.

Each October focuses on different themes addressing specific challenges and identifying opportunities for behavioral change. The overarching theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021 is “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart,” a message that PlexTrac is proud to support as an official Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion organization.

This article is created to give an overview of this year’s theme and the specific weekly topics highlighted by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). This year’s themes include:

Week of October 4 (Week 1): Be Cyber Smart.
Week of October 11 (Week 2): Phight the Phish!
Week of October 18 (Week 3): Explore. Experience. Share. – Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week
Week of October 25 (Week 4): Cybersecurity First

Week 1: Be Cyber Smart

As our lives have become increasingly dependent on technology, virtually all personal and business data is kept on internet-connected platforms, which can become a gold mine for bad actors.The first week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month highlights the best security practices and focuses on general cyber hygiene to keep your information safe.

To own your role in cybersecurity, follow these basic tips:

Create strong, complex passwords
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible
Back up all of your data
Consistently update your software whenever an update is available

To learn more about being Cyber Smart, read PlexTrac’s How to Maintain Cybersecurity When Working From Home.

Week 2: Phight the Phish!

Phishing attacks and scams have thrived since the COVID pandemic began in 2020 and today, phishing attacks account for more than 80 percent of reported security incidents. The second week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month stresses the importance of being wary of emails, text messages or chat boxes that come from a stranger or someone you were not expecting.

On top of thinking before you click on any suspicious emails, links, or attachments, learn more about the subject by reading PlexTrac’s 5 Tips to Identify Phishing Emails.

Week 3: Explore. Experience. Share.

The third week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will highlight the Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week led by National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE). This campaign inspires and promotes the exploration of cybersecurity careers. Whether it’s students, veterans, or those seeking a career change, the dynamic field of cybersecurity is rapidly growing and has something for everyone. Learn more about Cybersecurity Career Awareness week.

To explore a potential career in cybersecurity with PlexTrac, visit our Careers page and read The Characteristics and Skills You Need as a Cybersecurity Pro.

Week 4: Cybersecurity First

The fourth week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month is all about making security a priority. For businesses, this means building security into products and processes. Make cybersecurity training a part of employee onboarding and equip staff with the tools they need to keep the organization safe.

For individuals looking to prioritize their cybersecurity, the NCSA recommends:

Do extensive research before purchasing a new device or online product
When setting up new devices and apps, make your security and privacy a priority
Update default passwords with new, complex ones immediately and use a password vault like LastPass or 1Password

For additional tips and tricks on prioritizing your cybersecurity, read PlexTrac’s What is Information Privacy? blog, which explains information privacy, it’s importance, and offers tips to maximize your personal security.

PlexTrac: The Purple Teaming Platform

As a security professional, you have heard all of these tips before… But what you may not have heard is that PlexTrac was created to help security teams focus on the right security battles by:

Aggregating all security data in one powerful location
Facilitating collaboration for red AND blue teams (purple teaming, FTW!)
Communicating findings and results with executive stakeholders and non-technical employees, all to improve overall security posture

To learn more about the PlexTrac platform, book a discovery call and demo with our team.