October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a global campaign dedicated to educating individuals, businesses and institutions about the importance of online safety.
Every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month teaches people simple ways to protect themselves online. This year’s theme, Stay Safe Online, is all about the simple ways to protect yourself, your family and your business from online threats.
Small actions can make a big difference. That’s why focus is on the “Core 4,” four easy steps anyone can take to boost their online safety:
- Use strong passwords and a password manager: The first line of defense is a strong, unique password. Avoid common words and consider using a password manager to generate and securely store passwords for each account.
- Turn on multifactor authentication: MFA adds an extra layer of protection by requiring additional verification, such as a code sent to your phone, after entering your password. This reduces the chance of unauthorized access.
- Recognize and report scams/phishing: Phishing scams continue to grow in sophistication. Always be cautious of suspicious emails or messages and report them via the Outlook report message function.
- Update software regularly: Software updates often contain critical security patches. Make sure all your devices are running the latest versions of operating systems and applications to protect against vulnerabilities.
About Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Established in 2004, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaborative effort among government agencies, businesses, educational institutions and non-profit organizations. It aims to promote cybersecurity awareness and provide actionable steps that individuals and businesses can take to improve their online security.
Marquette University is proud to support this important initiative, led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance.
