History and Origins of Cybersecurity Awareness Month
United States of America
Since 2004, October has been designated as Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This initiative was declared by the then-President of the United States and Congress to encourage collaboration between the public and private sectors in raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity.
This initiative has gained significance over the years, with ongoing efforts by governments and industries to reduce online risks and foster discussions on cyber threats. Although initially a national effort in the United States, Cybersecurity Awareness Month now resonates globally, emphasizing collective action to improve cybersecurity awareness and protection on a large scale.
In 2023, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) launched its awareness program, Secure Our World, emphasizing the importance of daily actions to minimize online risks and threats from connected devices. This program provides organizations with resources to strengthen their cybersecurity practices and supports them in developing awareness campaigns for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Europe
On the European side, the European Cybersecurity Month is the European Union’s (EU) campaign dedicated to promoting cybersecurity among European citizens and organizations, as well as providing updated information on online security and sharing best practices.
Every year, throughout the entire month of October, hundreds of activities take place across Europe, including conferences, workshops, training sessions, webinars, presentations, and more, all aimed at promoting digital security and cyber hygiene.
This initiative is coordinated by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and the European Commission and is supported by each Member State and hundreds of government partners, including universities, think tanks, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), professional associations, and the private sector in Europe and beyond.
Since the first event in 2012, European Cybersecurity Month has been promoted under the slogan “Cybersecurity is a Shared Responsibility,” and in 2020, the motto “Think Before U Click!” was officially launched.
And the rest of the year?
Although October is considered Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we must not forget that cybersecurity is something we should be concerned about in all other months as well. I would go further: daily throughout the entire year.
These are government initiatives, both in the United States and in Europe, aimed at establishing a period, at least once a year, during which various initiatives are conducted to raise cybersecurity awareness. However, all individuals and businesses must be aware that it is not just during this month that they should focus on and invest in cybersecurity, but rather throughout the entire year.
Attacks do not only happen in October, but throughout the entire year. Therefore, it is important for people to progressively protect themselves over the year and over the years by implementing more controls that allow their networks, devices, and accounts to be increasingly secure.
Companies, schools, and other organizations
This can be an opportunity for companies, schools, and other organizations to align with this initiative and also use the month of October to promote cybersecurity. This does not require a great effort, as much of the material already exists and can simply involve a sharing plan.
This does not mean that it is not necessary to continue raising awareness about this topic throughout the rest of the year, but the month of October can be used for greater outreach by organizations, taking advantage of all the support that governments and other organizations offer for online promotion and allowing the sharing of various best practices, information about attacks, and how to protect themselves.
How to learn more
Anyone interested in following this topic more closely and learning more can visit the following websites:
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month by CISA;
- Secure Our World;
- European Cybersecurity Month by ENISA;
- ECSM – European CyberSecurity Month.
In addition to these websites related to Cybersecurity Month, there are countless other resources to explore, including forums, books, courses, blogs (such as YourInfoSec), among many others.
