October 2022 marks the 19th annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month which was launched by the National Cybersecurity Alliance in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The campaign was launched with the goal of empowering every individual to protect their personal data from cybercrime. A strong, global collaboration between government and private industry, the initiative has reached individuals in over 75 countries and territories to raise awareness about online security.
The theme of 2022 is ‘it’s easy to stay safe online’ which is all about taking action. With so much cybersecurity news about big data breaches and hackers, the extent of the issue can seem overwhelming and disheartening. This year’s theme is all about reminding people that there are a variety of ways to protect your data online. To help with this, the National Cybersecurity Alliance have announced four key behaviours to encourage people to take control of their online lives and stay safe online. Harnessing these themes and incorporating them into your PR messaging throughout October is a key strategy.
So, what are these four key behaviours?
- Enable multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication is an electronic authentication process where a user is granted access to a website or app once they have presented two or more pieces of authentication evidence. With only 26% of companies in the US using multi-factor authentication, many do not understand the importance of this tool in keeping their data secure. Using MFA is an easy and effective way to stay safe online.
- Use strong passwords and a password manager
With our digital presence ever expanding and strong password habits being made stricter, the number of passwords one person might manage can now reach over 100. Long gone are the days of using your first pet’s name as your password for all of your online accounts. If strong password habits are being followed, that is potentially 100+ unique passwords to remember.
A password manager might just be the answer to this problem; allowing people to store, generate and manage passwords in one programme. With 81% of data breaches leveraging stolen or weak passwords, this is something people aren’t going to want to ignore when trying to protect data and stay safe online.
- Update your software
We’ve all been guilty of clicking ‘remind me later’ when our computers tell us there is an update available. In fact, 31% of US/UK survey respondents say they either ‘sometimes’, ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ install software updates. Updates generally fix software problems and provide security patches where cybercriminals would normally try to exploit. Carrying out software updates is one of the simplest and easiest ways to ensure systems are working properly and will withstand any potential attacks that come its way.
- Recognise and report phishing
In 2020, almost 3 out of 4 companies experienced a phishing attack. These sophisticated attacks are becoming more common and more difficult to spot. With 30% of small businesses considering phishing attacks to be their top cybersecurity concern, it is important for every individual to be aware of the characteristics of a phishing attack so that they can stop and think before clicking on a potentially malicious link or attachment in a message.
How to maximise your PR/social strategy for Cybersecurity Awareness Month?
If you are involved in the cybersecurity industry, this is a topic you aren’t going to want to miss out on. Being active on social media and talking about this year’s theme is the perfect place to start. The 4 key behaviours give great content to shout about on social platforms and have some insightful research and statistics to back up any content being published.
This year’s theme is about education and raising awareness of how people can stay safe online. This is a good opportunity for reaching out to your network to spread your knowledge, educating others on the best ways to stay cybersafe. Consider a virtual event or training session to discuss smart security practices, relevant cybersecurity issues and allow participants to ask cybersecurity questions. This could be done through social media such as an Instagram or Facebook live session or via Zoom.
Be sure to include the campaign hashtags in any content published on social media. This year the hashtags to use include #BeCyberSmart and #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth.
As a leading Cybersecurity PR agency, the Origin Communications team has a wealth of experience working within the industry and helping others with their PR strategies. Cybersecurity Awareness Month is one of a number of awareness campaigns that are key for those in the industry to have a PR and social strategy plan to make the most of the event. If you would like to find out how we can help deliver a PR strategy to boost your brand image across the digital landscape, get in touch today.