October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Since this is a cybersecurity blog, we will focus on cybersecurity but let’s take a moment to talk about the important topic of breast cancer.

On September 30th, President Biden proclaimed October 2021 as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Biden’s proclamation states that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer over the course of their lifetime and 281,550 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States in 2021. Early detection is critical so be sure to get screened regularly. In the U.S., you can find a screening center on the CDC’s website. You can learn more about Breast Cancer Awareness Month from the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Today starts the 18th annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month which is held every October and was created as a collaborative effort between governments and private industry to ensure that everyone has the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online. So this month, wear pink while you secure your digital life!

The overarching theme for 2021 is:

“Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.”

The key messages for each week are:

• October 1: Kick-off

• Week of October 4 (Week 1): Be Cyber Smart

• Week of October 11 (Week 2): Fight the Phish

• Week of October 18 (Week 3): Explore. Experience. Share – (Cybersecurity Career Awareness Week)

• Week of October 25 (Week 4): Cybersecurity First

Get Involved

If you want to get involved you can reference the CISA Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021 Toolkit. Also, other than reading Between The Hacks, and articles and social media posts from other NCSAM Champions, the NCSA has listed many ways that everyone can do their part in being cyber-smart. A few are listed below.

Social Media

• Follow the National Cyber Security Alliance on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn to receive the latest online safety news and resources.

• Post online safety tips and reminders about Cybersecurity Awareness Month on your social networks. Use the hashtag #BeCyberSmart on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites.

At Work, At School, and In the Community

• Become a Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion, and show your organization or school’s official involvement in the month. It’s free and simple to sign up.

• Post the Cybersecurity Awareness Month logo on your company or school’s external or internal website. You can link to the Cybersecurity Awareness Month “About” page to provide more info.

• Send an email to colleagues, employees, customers and/or your school and community about the month and outline how your organization will be involved. Highlight the theme and messaging. You can use information from the toolkit in the email. See the “Employee Email Template” available to all Champions.

At Home

• Sign up for NCSA’s newsletter to receive regular online safety news and resources.

• Print NCSA resources and display them in areas where family members spend time online.

• Hold a family “tech talk.” Learn and discuss how each family member can protect their devices and information.

• Send an email to friends and family informing them that October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and encourage them to visit staysafeonline.org for tips and resources.

Links to Global Resources

United States https://staysafeonline.org/cybersecurity-awareness-month/

Australia https://www.austcyber.com/news-events/australian-cyberweek

Canada https://www.getcybersafe.gc.ca/en/cyber-security-awareness-month

Chile https://www.mesdelaciberseguridad.cl/

Europe https://cybersecuritymonth.eu/

Austria https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/

Belgium https://ccb.belgium.be/en

Croatia https://www.cert.hr/en/home-page/

Denmark https://sikkerdigital.dk/national-cybersikkerhedsmaaned/

Estonia https://www.ria.ee/en/cyber-security/cert-ee.html

Finland https://www.traficom.fi/en/

France https://www.ssi.gouv.fr/en/

Germany https://www.bsi.bund.de/EN/TheBSI/thebsi_node.html

Greece https://saferinternet4kids.gr/

Hungary https://kiberhonap.hu/lang/en

Iceland https://www.government.is/ministries/ministry-of-transport-and-local-government/

Ireland https://www.cyberireland.ie/cs-month-2020/

Latvia https://www.mod.gov.lv/en

Luxembourg https://www.cybersecurityweek.lu/

Malta https://cybersecurity.gov.mt/

Netherlands https://www.alertonline.nl/en/home

Norway https://norsis.no/nsm/

Poland https://bezpiecznymiesiac.pl/

Portugal https://www.cncs.gov.pt/en/

Romania https://cert.ro/

Slovenia https://www.varninainternetu.si/

Spain https://www.dsn.gob.es/en

Sweden https://www.msb.se/en/

Switzerland https://www.ibarry.ch/en/

United Kingdom https://www.cyberaware.gov.uk