National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2017


Posted on by RSAC Editorial Team

October is once again upon us and with it comes the return of Major League Baseball playoffs, college football rivalry games, the return of Stranger Things to Netflix and, of course, a month of cyber security tips and best practices. 

As you may know, October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) - an annual campaign to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. NCSAM is designed to engage and educate both public and private sector organizations through events and initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity, and to provide tools and resources needed to stay safe online. 

What’s in store this year for NCSAM 2017? Each week in October will be dedicated to a specific cybersecurity theme and topic of focus. Here at the RSA Conference blog we’ll have content corresponding with each of those themes and hope you’ll join in on the conversation sharing these pieces across your social channels. The themes for 2017 include:  

  • Week 1 10/2-10/6: “Simple Steps to Online Safety.”  This week will address the top consumer cybersecurity concerns, provide simple steps to protect against those items, and help the public understand what to do if they fall victim to some form of cyber attack.
  • Week 2 10/9-10/13: “Cybersecurity in the Workplace is Everyone’s Business.”  The week will look at resources to help organizations strengthen their cyber security programs and not just turn a blind eye assuming it is someone else’s problem.
  • Week 3 10/16-10/20: “Today’s Predictions for Tomorrow’s Internet Smart cities.” Week 3 will remind citizens that their sensitive, personal information is the fuel that makes smart devices and the connected world work properly. With that in mind, security is of the utmost importance.
  • Week 4 10/23-10/27: “The Internet Wants YOU: Consider a Career in Cybersecurity” By now you have seen the statistics surrounding the gap between the needs for security professionals and the actual pool of candidates. Week 4 will encourage students and other job seekers to explore cybersecurity careers.
  • Week 5 10/30-10/31: “Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Threats.” This final week will look at cybersecurity in relation to keeping our traffic lights, running water, phone lines, and other critical infrastructure secure. 

In the spirit of week one and simple safety tips, we did want to share some good resources for you to share with family or coworkers looking for safety information this month:

The Center for Cyber Safety and Education 

Stay Safe Online: National Cyber Security Alliance 

Stop. Think. Connect. Tips & Advice 

DHS: Stop. Think. Connect. Toolkit 

DHS: National Cyber Security Awareness Month Resources 

Don’t forget that the hashtag for NCSAM is #CyberAware – we encourage you to use this and the conference hashtag #RSAC during the month of October to promote your organization’s involvement in raising cybersecurity awareness. We hope you’ll find our content helpful and we look forward to seeing your efforts throughout the month!


Contributors
RSAC Editorial Team

Editorial, RSAC

Blogs posted to the RSAConference.com website are intended for educational purposes only and do not replace independent professional judgment. Statements of fact and opinions expressed are those of the blog author individually and, unless expressly stated to the contrary, are not the opinion or position of RSA Conference™, or any other co-sponsors. RSA Conference does not endorse or approve, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, accuracy or completeness of the information presented in this blog.


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