What's spookier than goblins and ghouls? Any number of things, especially as we creep closer to Halloween, but top of our list is falling victim to a security breach.
The Tradition
In that spirit, every October, the information security community in the United States does its share to spread awareness about the online safety and security resources available to Americans. 2017 is the 14th year since the Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance started the initiative that has now marked October National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). Companies and organizations from the government to the private sector celebrate NCSAM. Check out these resources from some of the most respected organizations in the industry:
Department of Homeland Security — The official timeline of NCSAM 2017, including themes for each week in October, is hosted on the DHS website. Also check out their "Stop.Think.Connect. Toolkit" and related materials if you're looking to host a cyber security event.
National Cyber Security Alliance — Read the history of NCSAM on the website of the organization that started it. NCSA includes a long list of ways to get involved in NCSAM on social media, at home, at work, at school, and in your community.
SANS Securing the Human — Besides its other amazing resources, the SANS Institute offers a detailed matrix for planning your NCSAM, including templates for emails, posters, newsletters, and lunch-n-learn presentations.
National Institute of Standards and Technology — NIST offers some highly specific ways to get involved based on your situation, from colleges to law enforcement and even libraries and faith-based organizations.
CG Silvers Joins In
This year, CG Silvers Consulting is also joining in the fun and participating! The core of cyber security is and has always been education. That's why "awareness" is in the name of NCSAM.
On Halloween, the spookiest day of October and the last day of NCSAM, we'll outline five features of good security awareness programs:
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Whether you're building your own from scratch, remaking it, or offering feedback on someone else's, we hope you find these five features of good security awareness programs useful.
We hope you join us and our favorite national organizations to celebrate NCSAM!
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