Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Snap Tech IT Digs Into CISA.gov’s Four Easy Ways to Stay Safe Online
October is Cybersecurity Awareness month. CISA.gov is a leading influencer in creating the theme each year. In 2023, CISA.gov introduced the theme, “Secure our World,” and shared a series of videos and educational assets to help people stay safe online. Now, in 2024, they’re back with the latest addition to the “Secure our World” theme. In this blog we’ll share all four easy ways to stay safe online, some additional context about why they’re important, and collect CISA.gov’s videos all in one place for you. And now, without further ado, it’s time for Cybersecurity Awareness Month: CISA.gov’s Four Easy Ways to Stay Safe Online.
NEW FOR 2024! Let’s kick things off with the latest release from CISA.gov.
For Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024, CISA.gov has released an entertaining music video to help you remember how to be secure online and protect your family. This new CISA.gov video is dripping with School House Rock visual vibes with vocals that sound eerily similar to Katy Perry.
CISA.gov music video: We Can Secure Our World: featuring the character, Joan the Phone:
Why Cybersecurity Awareness Matters Now More Than Ever
As CISA emphasizes, today’s cyber landscape is constantly shifting, which means no business, can afford to neglect to embrace a culture of security. In fact, CISA highlights the need for “small actions with big impacts,” underscoring that the simplest measures often make very significant differences.
CISA emphasizes, “Everyone has a role to play in cybersecurity,” shifting the conversation from “Should we improve our security?” to “What can we begin doing immediately?” After all, cybercriminals aren’t waiting around for your next IT audit to exploit vulnerabilities.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month: CISA.gov’s Four Ways to Stay Safe Online:
CISA has maintained consistency for the past few years in outlining behaviors organizations should teach and adopt to protect their users, systems, and data. Here is CISA.gov’s “Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Four Ways to Stay Safe Online” along with a brief explanation from Snap Tech IT and CISA.gov’s video for each tip:
1. Use Strong Passwords and a Password Manager
Don’t use easy-to-guess passwords like, “Password123”, “Admin”, or “Winter2024.” Weak passwords are one of the biggest vulnerabilities. Implement a policy for creating strong, unique passwords and encourage using a password manager to simplify storage and management. A powerful feature of many password managers is the ability to track if any passwords have been involved in a breach. Keeping an eye on this will help your people know which sites require urgent password updates.
Stop Online Crime with Strong Passwords by CISA.gov:
2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
CISA stresses the need for MFA, stating that it “adds an extra layer of security” by requiring more than just a password to access accounts. This could be something as simple as a text message confirmation or an authentication app. In addition to enabling MFA, be sure to educate employees to know what it is, how to properly interact with MFA, and to be very suspicious whenever an MFA alert pops up that they didn’t trigger.
Make Your Accounts Safer with Multifactor Authentication (MFA) by CISA.gov:
3. Recognize and Report Phishing
With phishing attacks growing more sophisticated, CISA recognizes the necessity for everyone to improve their ability to spot red flags—suspicious links, email attachments from unknown senders, or unusually urgent messages. When in doubt, report the phishing attempt to your IT department or service provider immediately.
Recognize and Report Phishing by CISA.gov:
4. Keep Software Up To Date
Don’t ignore those software update notifications. They’re not just about adding new features—they’re about patching vulnerabilities. Whether it’s your operating system, antivirus software, or even apps, regular updates are non-negotiable for maintaining security.
Update Software for Safety by CISA.gov:
Maturing into a Culture of Security
Beyond following these tips for employees, businesses also need to focus on cultivating a broader culture of security within their organizations.
This October, Snap Tech IT will be hosting a Cybersecurity Awareness Webinar focused on helping you build a culture of security within your organization.
Register today to explore how your organization can engage secure technologies, embrace best practices, and educate your teams.
Take the first step in building your culture of security by attending Snap Tech IT’s educational webinar – Cybersecurity Awareness Month: How to Build a Culture of Security.
Together, we can turn awareness into action and safeguard your business from emerging cyber threats.
Nathan Caldwell
Marketing expert, thought leader, speaker, and security awareness solution creator.