October kicks off the 17th year of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM). This year, Americans are spending more time than ever online as the pandemic has changed our virtual habits. While protecting yourself against cybersecurity crimes might not be top of mind, we’re committed to arming you with tools to keep yourself safe online and equipping businesses and individuals with steps to better protect your part of cyberspace.
This year’s NCSAM theme, announced by CISA and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), is “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.”
Each week in October a different cybersecurity theme will be highlighted – specifically designed to provide you with impactful information. As part of Allegiance Bank’s pledge to improve cybersecurity awareness, we will promote and elaborate on each dedicated theme across our social media channels.
October 1 and 2: Official NCSAM Kick-off
Week 1, October 5: If You Connect It, Protect It
Computers, tablets and other internet-connected devices left unprotected are extremely susceptible to threats and viruses. In our constantly connected world, it is a device owner’s responsibility to care for the health of their devices just as they would care for their own health.
Week 2, October 12: Securing Devices at Home and Work
2020 has shifted most of our home, school, and business life online. We are now more connected than ever before, bringing about new and potential vulnerabilities. There are several ways to secure your devices, starting with enabling two-factor authentication, creating strong passwords, and doing research on your own digital presence.
Week 3, October 19: Securing Internet-Connected Devices in Healthcare
Even if you do not work directly in the healthcare industry, you might have health records living online, internet-connected health devices, and/or profiles on wellness apps. While these exist to provide health benefits, they also expose the healthcare industry to a person’s own vulnerabilities that cybercriminals seek to exploit. Failure to secure these healthcare devices comes at a grave cost and could mean life or death.
Week 4, October 26: The Future of Connected Devices
The final week of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month will focus on the future of internet-connected devices. No matter what the future holds, users must continue to do their part to ensure the safety of cyberspace.
Better Protect Yourself Online
At Allegiance Bank, we work to ensure the communities we serve are equipped with resources to be safer and more secure online. In anticipation of NCSAM, we encourage you to consider the below steps to be better protected online.
- Secure networks by requiring passwords and setting up your own unique login
- Keep software updated to the latest versions
- Run regular scans using modern security software
- Enable multi-factor authentication on all logins
You can also access valuable tools such as NCSAM tip sheets and resources here, which exist to help reduce cybersecurity risks.
Get Involved
Throughout the month, we invite you to join us in promoting cybersecurity awareness by using NCSAM’s hashtag #BeCyberSmart on social media. You can also support cybersecurity awareness by passing on cybersecurity tips to friends, family and coworkers.
We also invite you to register for the virtual event “Smart Devices Need Smart Security: Securing Your Business in an Internet of Everything World” on October 13th. This will be hosted by the National Cybersecurity Alliance.
Webinar Link: https://staysafeonline.org/event/smart-devices/
Together, we can raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity across America.