October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSA), and once again, M3AAWG stands strong as an official Champion organization of this campaign.
With an explosion of technological advances, including the rise of agentic AI and a pending quantum computing revolution, concerns over how our systems will be protected from bad actors have mounted.
CSA is an educational outreach campaign that focuses on simple actions that anyone – regardless of their technical proficiency – can implement to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their workplace.
The “Core 4,” or four simple steps that will protect users, as echoed throughout this awareness month, include:
- Use strong passwords and a password manager.
- Turn on multifactor authentication.
- Recognize and report scams.
- Update your software.
"The coordination of online attackers is remarkable these days, with cybercrime groups mimicking the sophistication of a Fortune 500 company. We must amplify the messaging of this awareness month more than ever to spread the word about how a few simple steps can go a long way in preventing disastrous consequences," said M3AAWG Board of Directors Chairperson Sara Roper.
This year’s CSA theme is “Stay Safe Online” – a refreshing reminder that in a time of complicated technological advances, the basics for staying safe on the internet (and protecting vital systems) remain rather straightforward.
“Social engineering and other attack vectors frequently rely on a human factor, and the industry generally accepts that increased education for end-users can decrease the odds of an error happening. The items outlined above are a good introduction for all users of the internet, and they should refresh their security awareness from time to time. M3AAWG will continue to fight for all users and strive to help them better understand how they might protect themselves,” said Alex Brotman, Co-Chair of M3AAWG’s Data & Identity Protection Committee.
As leaders of this campaign, the National Cybersecurity Alliance and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have created a free toolkit for engaging your own organization and community.